


He's All That

by Anonymous



Series: Prince Prongs [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bullying, F/M, First War with Voldemort, M/M, Marauders' Era, Moral Ambiguity, Multi, Slow Burn, Teenage Drama, Wizarding Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 20:47:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14410269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: One January day, Severus was a normal outcast with no real friends, a bleak future, mounting assignments and no tattoos. The next day, he had an invite to an exclusive party, and James Potter's name was permanently inked onto his skin.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a thing. I'll try to update often.

Severus woke up on the day before his seventeenth birthday feeling the same as always. He brushed his teeth, washed his hair, scrubbed his face and wore his school uniform. Then, as usual, he left the dungeons to get breakfast while most of the castle still slept. Food appeared in front of him, eggs benedict with sausages, fruit salad and water. After years of practice, Severus ate everything quickly without gagging. He waited until more food appeared to pack them into a lunch box he had purchased years ago that was spelled to keep the food warm and fresh.

 

The only classes he had that day were History of Magic, double Potions and Ancient Runes respectively. By the afternoon, Severus would be free to finish his Transfiguration assignment before class the next day. Right then, he was going to the classroom knowing that it would be empty for at least an hour and a half.

 

History of Magic has always been easy for him. It required mostly rote memorisation and if there's something Severus was good at, it was memorising. Ancient Runes was also easy but Severus still practised whenever he could especially since the Professor had introduced other rune systems. He used to study with Lily, who loved comparing alphabets and the magical effects they each had. Now he did everything alone but as boring as that was, Severus could not muster the energy to replace her with someone else.

 

By the time Binns floated through the wall, most of the class was seated. Severus had the last benches all himself since the class wasn't exactly big and everyone in it disliked him. He ignored ghost after taking note of the topic they were covering. It was yet another Goblin rebellion, led by a charismatic half Goblin, half human leader, who wanted nothing to do with wands and everything that was in the newly established Gringotts Bank. Truth be told, Severus felt some kind of kinship with the creatures. They were intelligent, spoke more languages than any other species, had their own brand of magic and they were subjugated multiple times. Yet they never quit trying for reasons most people didn’t understand. Lately there was some anxious buzz about the Goblins joining forces with the Death Eaters. What Severus would give to see Potter's wealth stolen from him.

 

 "For your homework, write ten inches on why this rebellion was different from all the others we covered," Professor Binns said. Severus made a note to look it up in the Library later. Ten inches was easy to complete.

 

Double Potions was next. Severus had an entire workplace to himself again. He set up his cauldron, scales, phials and parchment and waited. Slughorn came in after everyone did, looking a bit worn down.

 

 "Good morning students. Let's see... we've covered the Polyjuice Potions before the holidays." Slughorn waves his wand and pieces of paper with their names and grades written on flew to everyone. Severus was not surprised to see an O on his. He put the paper in his bag and took stock of everyone else’s reactions. "Only two students succeeded. Miss Evans and Mr. Snape, twenty points each. The rest of you are welcome to try again at any time. We need you to prepare sufficiently for your NEWTs. This week you'll be working on the Hiccoughing Solution. A potion that is quite reactive and requires a degree of preciseness from you like never before. You have two hours to brew it. Whoever wins," Slughorn smiled at Lily, "will get an invitation to this month's Slug Club dinner. This is no ordinary dinner party, some of the leading Potioneers in the industry will be coming. It'll do all of you a lot of good to be there regardless of your choice in occupation."

 

The class started murmuring. Severus had to bite down a smile. He could feel Lily's gaze on him. The moment Slughorn told them to start, Severus summoned all the ingredients from the cupboard instead of walking there. Lily did the same. Feeling slightly anxious, he lit his cauldron, spelled water into it and began working. For the next hour, he sliced, crushed, smeared and weighed the ingredients, all twenty-four of them before adding them one at a time into his cauldron. Each ingredient required its own style of stirring. Severus had watched his mother enough times to do it without glancing at his textbook. By the time it was over, he had a completely green Hiccoughing Solution that even Slughorn couldn't find fault in.

 

 "Mr. Snape is a clear winner. Well done. Another twenty points for Slytherin.... You'll receive your invitation soon." Slughorn patted him on the back. “Miss Evans, a valiant effort, not quite there exactly, a misstep with the lemons I imagine. Ten points to Gryffindor nonetheless."

 

Severus nearly rolled his eyes. Instead, he poured the potion into a phial for Slughorn and pretended to vanish the rest. Hiccoughing Solution had more uses than Slughorn wanted to admit.

 

Remembering the win improved his mood. Despite being one of the best students in the school, Severus was never really a part of the Slug Club. Most of the time, he was barely bitter about it but since he was getting closer to graduating, the need to network outside of Slytherin was getting stronger. He could no longer rely on his studies only. Meritocracy didn't exactly exist in the wizarding world.

 

 

Ancient Runes was fun. Professor Babbling had them translating some scriptures alone. Severus was translating a few pages copied from an ancient Egyptian potion instruction book that had been taken from one of the tombs a few decades ago. The hour ended faster than Severus would have liked. The Professor promised to allow them to come back whenever they were free to finish. Severus was tempted to continue since his whole afternoon was free but he knew his Transfiguration essay would take a long time to finish.

 

His table at the Library was unoccupied. It was the furthest one, partially hidden behind a book shelf that only seventh year Magical Care students use so Severus unpacked his food and had his lunch quickly. He conjured a cup, filled it with water and drank it in big gulps. The History of Magic homework would be dealt with first. Severus summoned several books and got to work. In the end, he had done twenty inches. Professor Binns wasn't one to appreciate the extra work so the essay was rewritten until he met the limit. Severus kept the copy in case someone wanted him to do their homework, for a price of course.

 

Then he began the tedious work of explaining the magic of conjuring. For some reason performing the spells was easy enough but understanding the internal workings was beyond him. Transfiguration was the only class in which Severus couldn't wrap his head around the theory. The sixth year of learning just began and he was already feeling slightly overwhelmed. Something told him that he would be forced to drop the class for the sake of his NEWT scores. Still, he'll put up a fight until then.

 

There were seventeen theories on conjuring. The rules were easy enough to memorise though it was hard to explain why he can make a cup out of thin air but not food. It was probably related to the fact that they could transform objects into animals but were never taught how to conjure them. Severus made a few notes based on that then went to get books. He was done with the essay three hours later. It barely hit the limits, some of his arguments were wonky and his references were old. Still he could turn it in tomorrow without feeling too terrible. As usual, he cloned both essays, hid the original copies in his robes and put the others in his bag just in case.

 

The rest of the day was spent studying in his room. When it was time for dinner, Severus ate the last of his food, drank some more water and showered. Tomorrow was his seventeenth birthday. He would be an adult and be able to leave the castle on the weekends, open an account at Gringotts and finally put the Soulmate nonsense to rest. Severus always knew he would take after his mother and become Unmarked but Lily didn't believe it. She was so swept up in the _romance_ of it all that the idea nearly brought her to tears. He barely brought it up again. Maybe tomorrow, he’ll show his bare hand to her. Just for closure or something like that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any mistakes.

When Severus woke up the next morning, he laid on the bed for a few minutes before remembering that he had a routine. He sat up and with a deep breath, he pulled back the sleeve of his night gown. To his surprise, there was something written on his skin in black ink. Severus looked away. Before finding out who it was, he wanted to absorb the fact that he had a Name. He never planned to have one, couldn't even imagine it. There was no one he wanted to be saddled with, not even Lily, who was probably his favourite person once upon a time. It would be so humiliating to even think about talking to the person and he'd have to be the one talking. Severus was clearly older, otherwise he'd have been Pulled towards them the night before. What if they hated him? Severus could deal with indifference, he loved it in fact but if this person hated him, they- no, he couldn't stand the thought. He'd have to look at the name before deciding on a plan. Please be Slytherin, he thought as he took another look.

 

For the longest time, he felt a little illiterate. He was reading something but his brain couldn't register what the words were. In a daze, he got up, undressed and went to take a shower. Then he tried reading the words again. This time his hands were trembling and his limbs were so cold, it felt like he's never known warmth before. Severus blinked several times, taking another deep breath.

 

| **James Potter**

 

 "Oh my God," he breathed, clutching his arm like it was injured. "Oh my God."

 

Severus slid down the wall until he was sitting cross legged on the tiled floor, feeling like crying for the first time in months. He tried as hard as he could to imagine his housemates breaking into his room while he slept to play a sick joke on him but he lived in this room since he joined the school. There were too many wards and no way would he have slept through it. Still, Severus scrambled to his feet, nearly falling in the process, and ran to his potions cabinet. Inside, on the top shelf, were a dozen tiny black vials. He took one, removed the topper and poured it on his whole arm and rubbed furiously on the name. It remained as black as ever. Then it began glowing.

 

 "No. No. No. Please, no," Severus whispered hoarsely. The words continued to glow brighter until Severus was forced to close his eyes. He was breathing in shallowly. His arm was going numb, needle pricks flared down to his fingertips. Severus had never really believed in God the way his father did but he found himself pleading on his knees that something would happen. That his hand would be chalk white as usual, that James Potter would die in the next few minutes, that things would be OK. When he opened his eyes, the glow was gone but the letters remained.

 

 For the first time in months, Severus did not push back against the tears. He found himself bent in half as sobs racked his body so hard he was coughing and blinded. It didn't make sense. Why James Potter of all people? Severus was ready and willing to have someone else even if they wouldn't have him. Potter would do worse than that.

 

Severus shakily reached into his cabinet and removed a yellow vial, one of four. He drank the contents and immediately began to feel its effects. Years before, when he consumed this potion so often, it would have taken up to an hour to feel the wave of calm rushing through him. He had promised Lily he would stop and now he was grateful that he kept that promise. Severus took in gulps of air, feeling his body lose its tension. He could feel a fleeting sense of embarrassment of his behaviour but thankfully there were no witnesses. This was not too big of a disaster. There was a solution out there and he would find it if it killed him. Severus used every concealing spell he knew. They would fade before the day's end regardless of their power but he couldn't walk around without them. A pair of black gloves were conjured and he used a temporary sticking charm on them. If anyone tried to pull them off, he'd have enough time to react. There were a handful of people who knew his birthday and one of them was very angry with him.

 

The Great Hall had a few dozen students when he arrived. Severus ignored them and went about his routine, though he was forced to be more discreet. A wild eyed Avery nearly knocked him over as Severus was leaving.

 

 "Snape!" Avery grabbed him by the shoulders. "Transfiguration essay! Give it to me."

 

 "Ten Galleons." Severus removed the overly long version of his essay, now marked with the alternate references so McGonagall couldn't accuse them of cheating.

 

 "T-ten Galleons? Fine, whatever." Avery reached into his pocket and handed over more than ten Galleons before snatching the paper from Severus, nearly tearing it in the process.

 

Severus put the coins in one of his secret pockets before he walked towards the Library. This time he was completing his Charms homework and revising Arithmancy since there was going be a test the following week. He was at his table for hours. First finishing up the last inches of his essay and correcting it. Then using the revision book he had bought over the Christmas holiday to test himself. Severus always preferred Divination to Arithmancy though the latter was more accurate. The problem was that there were so many variables that equations tend to end up many pages long and in the end, you might end up wrong based on one misstep. Arithmancy tests were the worst because Severus couldn't breeze through them and then make corrections afterwards. He had to be careful the whole way through. Without the pressure of exams, though, it was fun.

 

At eleven, Severus settled at the back of the Transfiguration classroom. The rest of the class came in very quickly after that. Lily looked at his direction for a few seconds and it was only then that Severus realised how suspicious his gloves were. He looked away and waited for McGonagall to demand their essays.

 

 "Professor!" Sirius Black cried out from his seat.

 

McGonagall sighed. "Tell me you've done your homework, Black. I will not tolerate-"

 

 "Well … you see Professor," Black began nervously. Years before Severus would be shaking with glee. Now he simply levitated his assignment towards the front, watched it burn as Potter snickered. "I have done it. I just wanted to say you look quite lovely today."

 

McGonagall raised an unimpressed eyebrow before turning back to the rest of the class, which was when Severus levitated the actual copy of his work. He then dipped his quill into his ink pot, resolutely ignoring Potter and began taking notes. Severus knew he was still under the effects of the Calming Draught but he had to give himself credit for how he handled that. There was something odd about the Gryffindors, though. Pettigrew was nowhere to be seen again. Maybe the rumours were true and he died or, more likely, dropped out.

 

The moment McGonagall dismissed them, Severus was gone. He moved so fast that it was a little shocking when he arrived at the Slytherin Common Room quickly. A few of his housemates nodded at him. He had to acknowledge them but made sure he wasn't interrupted as he went back to his room.

 

Someone knocked on his door seconds after he closed it.

 

 "What?" Severus barked in irritation. "Oh, Mulciber."

 

 "Snape," Mulciber replied with a sneer. "What's got your knickers in a twist?"

 

 "Potter," Severus spat out, tendrils of hatred growing in his chest.

 

 "Of course," Mulciber replied bored. "Here. Slughorn wanted me to give you your invitation since you weren't at breakfast."

 

In Mulciber's hand was a thick golden card. Severus took it with a quiet, "Thank you." He was about to close the door when Mulciber spoke again.

 

 "Happy birthday, by the way." His green eyes were staring at Severus' gloves. Severus nearly flinched. He managed to force a wry smile.

 

 "Thinking of getting me presents?"

 

 "Depends. I'm not known for being friendly with blood traitors."

 

Severus was at first confused but then he understood. He removed his wand to undo the sticking charm and nonverbally cast another concealing charm as he pulled his glove off.

 

 "No mudbloods." He said as he let Mulciber look at his unmarked skin. "No blood traitors. No-"

 

 "No one at all," Mulciber said with a just hint of malice. "Well, better that than a mudblood."

 

 "Yeah," Severus said. "I have half a dozen essays to complete by Monday so if you'll excuse me."

 

 "Go ahead," Mulciber said, stepping away.

 

Severus locked the door and finally allowed his hands to shake. He opened the invitation and read the cursive writing. The dinner party was scheduled for the 31st of January. Severus already had a dress robe he bought in his fourth year so other than questions he would have to prepare ahead of time, he was quite ready for it. Right now his biggest problem was James Potter and the Soulbond between them. Severus had until Monday to come up with a long term plan because there was no way he would allow himself to be tied to that bastard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Severus doesn't know it but he's in for one hell of a ride.
> 
> Tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Library would provide information that Severus needed but he could not be seen searching. Severus worked the whole Friday afternoon until the curfew mainly because he never suited being idle, bidding his time until the Library was empty. He had made headway in many of his assignments with his textbook but completed none since he needed other books and the Herbology assignment was all practical. Mid-way through this period, Severus stepped out and walked towards the Owlery with a short letter to Lucius Malfoy. He did not give any details that would allow the older man to figure out who Severus was Bonded to but just enough so that Malfoy knew that there was a problem. 

There were about twelve concealing spells on his arm as he left without his gloves. He could almost feel their weight, his skin itched as the incompatible spells twisted around and repelled each other. Avery waved at him when he returned to the Slytherin Common Room. Severus locked the door behind before whispering, "Finite Incantatem," and sighing in relief when the itching stopped. Too bad Potter's name was clear. Severus wore the gloves just so that he wouldn't see it.

When a bell was rang to give Slytherins ten minutes to warn members of the House that were not inside the Common Rooms and dorm, something that did not happen in the other Houses if Lily was to be believed, Severus prepared himself. He pulled out an invisibility cloak from his trunk. It was his mother’s and the year before she handed it down to him. To be safe, he disillusioned himself as well. Two hours later, he slipped out of the entrance after confounding a third year student who had opened it. Severus took ten minutes to reach the Library. Immediately he went to the Soulbond section. Armed with a spell he overhead Pince using that allowed him to speak out certain phrases and whatever book contained those phrases would levitate to him, Severus got to work.

"How to conceal a Mark?" Ten large tomes flew off their shelves, making some noise. Severus cast a silencing charm while wincing. He opened the first and looked through the table of contents. It however suggest magical bracelets, gloves and potions which were too obvious. The next two offered the same spells Severus had been using. The forth one chastised him for daring to think of it. The fifth one suggested the help of an experienced wizard or witch but the incantation required the presence of the other half. Severus sighed cursing every wizard in existence. Why would something that shackled him to someone else be considered so sacred that the idea of hiding it was highly frowned on? 

Severus went through the other books until he reached the last one. It suggested a spell that was short and easy to pronounce but warned him that it would drain him the more time passed. Severus considered for a few seconds, shrugged and then cast the spell. 

" _Celare_."

He gasped when the skin on his hand got scrunched up until he pushed back his fingers with his other hand to elevate the pain. Still the pain was awful, his skin felt like it was about to rip apart. Severus bit his lower lip to keep from screaming. It was too horrible to keep from groaning and falling to his knee. Then it stopped. He brought his wand up, lit it again and watched in awe as the letters completely disappeared from his hand. There was nothing distinctive about, no odd shimmering, and no sudden appearances. It looked as it did the day before his birthday. Severus couldn't help the whoop that left his mouth. He quickly fixed any mess and went back to his dorm room. The pain was already forgotten. 

It was only when he was under his blanket that he remembered that he didn't know the counter to the spell. Reluctantly, he left again, cursing under his breath. He cursed loudly when he found the book and saw that the counter spell had twenty seven letters, five of which were accented. The counter spell was highlighted and copied with his wand. Then Severus thought better off it. He summoned bits of papers from outside the Library. Luckily, a two inch piece came to him and he copied the spell using a quill and some ink he conjured. By the time Severus went to sleep, he was exhausted.

The next morning, Severus woke up feeling like he had never slept so apparently he was getting drained even as he slept. It did not matter all that much. He was very willing to sacrifice whatever he needed to. Before leaving his room for the Library to study, Severus practised the counter spell. The spell was not Latin. It looked to be Gaelic or one of the twelve Goblin languages. It took an hour, at the end of which he was so frustrated, tired and hungry that he sang the spell while he was trying to remember the wording for James Potter's name to reappear. Severus felt slightly relieved to see it. He ignored those feelings to instead eat what was left over from the day before. Then he went back to sleep reasoning that there was plenty of time to finish his homework and study.

He woke up again feeling better. Then he went through the horrible process of concealing the names again, this time shouting loudly and jogging on the same spot until it ended. A shower, a vial Calming Draught and a notice-me-not charm cast over him made him strong enough to leave. In his bag, besides his books, quills, ink and parchment rolls, was three bottles of Rejuvenation Solution to counteract the effects of the Celare spell. Stepping through of the Slytherin entrance, Severus felt a kind of peace that made his lips curl up. He walked to the Library, found his table and began working. 

At three, he went to Professor Sprout's office to get the keys to the upper classes only greenhouse. Halfway there, he changed his mind and chose to instead ask her to use the greenhouse the next day to tend to his Mandrakes. He had planted his batch three weeks prior. Rather than waste time visiting the treelings to water, he instead used an African rainmaking spell that was timed to go off every day at noon when the sun was shining directly on his plants, something he ensure by claiming the spot at the beginning of the school year. Still he needed to make sure the mandrakes were not infected with anything. 

"Of course though it's best you come early in the morning," Sprout told him with a warm smile.

"I will, Professor. Thank you," he said fighting back a smile of his own. Sprout was the only one in the school who gave him those looks. Severus knew that she treated everyone else the same but sometimes he wondered what it would have been like if he was Sorted into Hufflepuff.

He was passing by the Great Hall when he heard a sound that made his whip out his wand.

"Oi Snivellus!" Potter called twirling his wand and putting a roll of parchment into his robe. Beside him was Black who had wand his pointed at Severus' chest, his wand hand covered in a bright red glove. It was always the two of them now, sometimes with Lupin. Pettigrew still hadn't shown up to school yet. They still had to ambush him.

"What the hell do you want?" Severus spat, heart beating fast as he nonverbally cast a shielding spell.

"That's not polite, is it Padfoot?"

"No, Snivy could still learn to show respect."

"We should teach him, shouldn't we Padfoot?"

"Why not? No one else would bother."

Severus sneered, feeling hatred in every part of his body. "Where's Pettigrew, _Padfoot_? Is it true he killed himself, _Prongs_? Are you both twats-?"

They shot him with twin beams of the Stunning Curse that his Protego held back. Black had his teeth almost completely bared, spittle on his chin and Potter was throwing curses and jinxes as fast as he could. Severus fought to maintain his shield but his wand arm was trembling from the effort and he was feeling so fatigued that he canceled the spell as he jumped away. Then shot an Impedimenta Jinx at Potter's feet, sending the boy flying back, before throwing up his shield again as Black hurled something unknown at him that almost broke through.

"Enough!" McGonagall's shrill voice cut through the noise of it. "How dare you?"

"I didn't do anything. They attacked me. I was protecting myself," Severus said quickly and out of breath as he stood up unstably. McGonagall glared at him before nodding.

"You two in my office now. Mr. Snape tell Professor Slughorn what happened. Next time find a prefect or a teacher before engaging in duels."

Severus snorted quietly but left for Slughorn's office all the same. Afterward, he allowed himself to rethink the encounter. He hadn't felt any different from the usual. His heart had been beating faster at the idea of being caught unaware rather than the sight of Potter's face. Clearly, the Bond between them was weak and therefore easier to contain. As long as he can maintain the spells and the potions, he'll be fine. How did they notice him, though? Was his notice-me-not charm weak or had it weakened as time passed like his body? That was disconcerting.

Malfoy hadn't yet sent an answer. Severus wasn't sure if he could with all the work he was allegedly doing but after Severus' eleven OWLs, Malfoy had promised an increase in correspondence between the two. He had been telling the truth. There was an increase, a slight one that Severus was nonetheless grateful for. 

The Common Room was filled with every seat taken. Every lamp was lit and the hearth had a roaring fire. Severus went directly to the table Mulciber and Avery were sharing when he saw them.

"Snape! Finally showing your face," Mulciber said in greeting without looking up from the chess board in front of him.

Severus shrugged. He conjured a sofa before settling in. "I told you that you'd be seeing less of me."

"And I told Avery that you'd be dropping classes by the new year," Mulciber said. “You’ve lost me money.”

"I said spring," Avery said as his knight pummeled one of Mulciber's pawns. "You're starting to crack."

"Excuse me?" Severus asked. He was doing very well without a single missed assignment.

"Your face, mate. You look awful."

"I've been making Potions while Slughorn slept," Severus lied.

"Why are you stealing ingredients, Snape? Aren't you fleecing half the House?" Mulciber asked with a sneer. 

"It's not fleecing. I'm a NEWT student now. My time is much more valuable and I have not been stealing anything," Severus added, not wanting Mulciber to hold something over him. 

"Whatever," Mulciber replied sounding bored. His knight was now fighting Avery's.

"Notice anything odd about Black?" Severus asked as soon as he remembered.

"He's a lunatic, he's always odd," Avery answered.

"He and Potter attacked me a few minutes ago. When I mentioned Pettigrew dying, he was spitting mad. Literally."

"Snape, I don't like those scum eating flobberworms either but what's so odd about that?" Mulciber asked as he won his game. Avery groaned but started preparing the board again.

"Black doesn't care about Pettigrew. He talks to him like you do Macdonald. Why does he suddenly care?"

Mulciber yawned deliberately. Severus rolled his eyes and sat back to watch them play. Perhaps something horrible had happened to Pettigrew and it had been Black's fault. Whatever it was, it has managed to distract those bastards so much so that that was the first time they attacked him since the school opened again. Severus was tempted to find out why but he had a far more important question to answer: when was Potter’s birthday?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still setting things up before Severus does a Big Thing. Hopefully you're starting to understand him and also the rules of the universe but if you don't, there are many more chapters to come.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sunday morning was so cold that Severus knew he could wear a pair of gloves without anyone bothering him about it. He was starting to rethink the Celare spell. It was still very useful, the horrible pain and being worn-out within hours aside but there had to be another way. 

Severus went to the Owlery under a doubly cast notice-me-not charm. He was confident that this time everyone's eyes would avoid him, especially since he hasn't used the Celare spell for many hours. In the Owlery, larger than any other bird he had seen, was the Malfoy hawk Severus hoped would be there. He removed the letter from the animal. It took off immediately, nearly cutting him with its talons. Severus hid the letter before going to the Sprout's office. She sleepily handed him the keys to the greenhouse and a pair of grey ear muffs. 

His row of pots were untouched though, from the brief investigation of his wards, not for the lack of trying. It was not Sprout because he had already warned her of his plans and the point of the assignment was that she could not be involved. Severus put on the ear muffs, then he put on dragon skin gloves that he hid under one of the pots. The mandrakes started screaming as soon as their heads were out of the soil. They did not have any patches of fungi on them and their bodies were growing at an acceptable rate. Severus sniffed to the pots and decided to add a little extra fertilizer to each of them to help things along.

Afterwards, Severus went to the very back of the greenhouse to open the letter.

>   
>  | Dear Severus,  
>  |  
>  |Come to Hogsmead next weekend. I believe I have something that can solve your unfortunate problem.  
>  |  
>  | Lucius Malfoy  
> 

Grinning, Severus burnt the letter and dispersed the ashes. Then he pointed his wand at his hand and began screaming as his skin bunched up. Maybe he should numb the area before casting the spell the next time. Severus was hesitant to try that since he had no idea how different types of magic would react to the Celare spell. Sometimes he thought he felt some tingling after using his wand. However, he did not know how long he could tolerate the feeling of his skin tearing. He Vanished his gloves as soon as he left the greenhouse.

The students of Hogwarts were finally awake and were on their way to having breakfast when Severus walked into the Entrance Hall. This time Severus saw Potter coming, mostly because Potter was staring directly at him while everyone else's eyes went over Severus. Severus did not like that one bit. It also helped that Potter was standing in the middle of the Hall as if he was waiting for Severus. 

"Snivy, I don't appreciate you getting us into trouble yesterday," Potter said in a too calm voice.

Severus narrowed his eyes. "I'm pretty sure you did that to yourself."

"That’s entirely possible," Potter agreed in that same eerie tone. Severus felt the hair on his arm rise. "You still owe me something."

There was now a small crowd of people watching Potter talk to something that was not quite there. Exhaling noisily, Severus canceled the charm on himself. Potter might be too stupid to understand the reason why Severus' magic wasn't working on him like it did other people but someone else could put two and two together.

"Evans told me something interesting yesterday."

Lily, no, Severus thought as his heart beat harder. "I didn’t ask."

"But Snivelly, it was your birthday just the other day. Your _seventeenth_ birthday." Potter stopped and Severus could the see the crowd grinning or murmuring in anticipation. "So, tell us. Whose name is it?"

"No one," Severus answered.

Potter looked delighted for the first time in a long time and he wasn't the only one. "You're Unmarked?" He laughed loudly and said, "Of course you are."

"James! Let us see," some Hufflepuff with buck teeth shouted. Severus wanted to kick her in the groin twelve times.

He rolled his eyes. "Well, this has been boring," he said with a fake yawn. Potter stiffened and then snarled at him. Severus started walking away and a second later he was immobile with one of his leg not quite touching the ground. He had never seen a spell like this before and was suddenly quite jealous. 

"Snivy, Snivy, Snivy," Potter said, "what am I going to do about your awful manners? As I was saying, I'm glad you're Unmarked. It suits you very well. Imagine someone being inflicted with _him_?" 

The audience made comical disgusted noises and Severus could feel a laugh bubbling up his chest. Then he felt his gloves being tagged until they were off on one hand and pushed past his knuckles on his wand hand. There were gasps, jeers and laughter. Potter had forced his arm up for everyone to see. The number of voices around him was growing until someone's shrill voice broke through.

"Undo that spell, Potter."

Suddenly Severus was in motion again. He turned to see a Hufflepuff student with a Head Girl badge on her robes. So it was the true that Sally Maw, an incompetent Gryffindor who only knew how to order people around, had left the school. Severus started wondering why Dumbledore would chose a Hufflepuff to replace her until he remembered where he was and what was happening.

"You," the Hufflepuff pointed at him, "go. You've caused enough trouble."

Severus sneered at her but he left all the same. If he hadn't taken one of the last vials of Calming Draught that morning, he would have hexed her and every one of those simpering cows. By the afternoon, he was sure everyone in the castle would be amused at his poor fate. At least Potter seemed somewhat disappointed by Severus' lack of reaction. Though Severus felt insulted by their reactions, he didn't understand why any of them would want to be Marked. Isn't the idea itself inherently suffocating? What if you got the person you hated most? They were awfully stupid.

Lily Evans was coming out of Slughorn's office with a tight smile. Severus bumped shoulders into her and kept walking like he didn't even notice.

"What the hell is your problem?" She called indignantly behind him. Severus resisted the urge to flip her off, instead he went back to his room. 

His Transfiguration homework was only four inches out of the expected twenty. He knew he should start working on it but it was like he was physically incapable of going to his desk to start working. Severus was once like this, back in his first year. Reading books was always better than studying because there was no pressure. His dismal results in some of the subjects from that year filled him such vicious shame that since then nothing less than the top ten ranks was good enough. None of Severus' strategies to enthuse himself were working. He didn't even feel like reading for fun. The only thing he wanted was to sit and not think of anything at all.

Severus watched his skin become blemished with Potter's name again. Then he lit the lamps in his room and laid back on his back. Disappointed started creeping to the forefront of his mind. He really should have been prepared but he was always busy with classes, Lily and doing something to stop that gang of boors that the idea of Soulmates completely slipped his mind. Even when Lily wanted to speculate about who hers would be, Severus did not dwell on it for long. He did not like the idea of someone else getting between the two of them. Lily barely had time for him. They probably wouldn’t have seen each other if she got a Soulmate. 

Severus really needed Lucius to pull through. Purebloods from the past must have been Bonded with Muggle-borns surely. There had to be something they did to avert the union. Severus needed to find whatever that was or he would kill Potter. He wouldn't even need to use an Unforgivable, he'll just strangle Potter with ropes or drown him in the lake. 

When it was dinner, his stomach rumbled. Severus hadn't eaten the whole day but he didn't feel like risking going to Kitchens just in case Potter wanted another fight. He drank water to fill his stomach with something. Then he wrote ten inches of his Transfiguration essay, working until midnight. Sleep came so easily that moments before his eyes closed, Severus set an alarm. 

Divination next day was a breeze. They were doing crystal readings again, this time for someone else. Severus was paired with Dorcas Meadowes who was looking at him with a mixture of pity and anger. It was then that Severus remembered that Meadowes was one of Lily's friends.

"I see a pale snake... with red eyes in your future."

"Right," Meadowes said going through her textbook to find out what that signifies. "A pale snake. It says that I'll be having some good luck soon. It's almost my birthday-"

"I don't care," Severus said.

"I could use some good luck," Meadowes finished before looking up. "Wouldn't want to end up like you, would I?"

Severus glanced to his right and then his left. He tilted his head. "Evans was right. You would be happy to let someone else define you."

Meadowes recoiled slightly. Severus smiled slightly. If Lily can spill his secrets without any care then he can do the same. The humiliating event the next day was starting to leave a bad taste in his mouth.

"You-"

"Are you going to see what's in the crystal ball for me?" Severus asked as sweetly as he could.

Meadowes glared at him before trying to peer through the fog inside the glass. 

"I see a heart which means... love-"

"What kind of heart?" Severus asked going through his book.

"An actual heart. Flesh and blood, though not very clear."

"How do you know what that looks like?"

"I'm neighbours with Muslims. They invited me to their yearly celebrations. Can't pronounce it but they slaughtered a goat and I saw its heart," Meadowes replied.

"Heart means pleasure or trust. I'll have pleasure and trust and you'll have good luck," he announced. Feeling pleased, they both wrote down the results in their journals. Meadowes' was made of real leather and had more pages than Severus', he noticed.

The Charms class was a little harder mostly due to Lily. She had glared at him in the beginning of the class. After that she sent obvious looks that told everyone she thought he was pathetic. Severus could have ignored that those had she not turned her vinegar to wine within minutes, spending the rest of the class 'practising' how to summon objects. Towards the end of the class, Severus Vanished her wine when Macnair set fire to his goblet. She caught his arm in a vice grip after the class ended.

"You prat," Lily hissed in his ear.

"You have grown taller," he said unhappily while trying to pull away. "Go away."

"Just because you're-"

"Going around telling people my birthday knowing-"

"They asked! I didn't think-"

Severus noticed that they were walking towards the Library. "You shouldn't have. Maybe I'll let yours slips and we'll see how happy you'll be when Mulciber-"

"They are not the same!" Lily shrieked. She lowered her voice and continued, "I can't believe I was feeling sorry for you when I heard what happened."

"Who asked you to?"

The anger dropped from her voice when she asked, "It really doesn't bother you? At all?"

"No."

"But you'll be alone and-"

"Because you know me for my deep longing for other people. I've always wanted to be Unmarked. There's nothing wrong with it. Muggles are Unmarked."

Lily sneered before finally letting him go. "You hate Muggles, you think they’re scum like your fa-"

Severus interrupted her while roughly pulling away. "Wait until you get someone's name that you hate like a- a Death Eater. Then you'll wish you were like me."

He walked away leaving Lily looking stricken. Severus did not want to go to the Library. If Lily ran to the Gryffindor Tower because he said she'll get a Death Eater for a Soulmate, Potter will come looking for a fight. While Severus debated what to do, Lily walked past him purposefully. He decided to follow her, if only to revise before the Astronomy lesson that night. People were staring at him when he walked through. There were a few whispers here and there but it was mostly soft laughter that quickly quelled under Pince's glare.

Severus left the Library with a large group of Ravenclaws, partly because he didn't want to be in the Library any longer and partly because Lily had left an hour before and she did not look pleased. He walked behind them while keeping away from windows. The torches hadn't been lit because it was not dark enough yet. He hoped that people would have a hard time seeing him out especially since he was already feeling too fatigued from the Celare spell to bother hiding himself with magic. That turned out to be a mistake.

Potter came out of literally nowhere with an ugly, angry look on his face and a wand that was moving towards Severus' nose. Severus grabbed at the wand and pushed it away, not letting go it even though his arm was trembling with the effort. Sparks flew out of the wand in a powerful jet. Potter screeched and his other hand slapped Severus' exposed arm. The moment their skins touched, Severus felt like he was zapped with electricity. Potter's eyes widened and he lost the fierce look he had, staring at his hand and then at his wand. 

Severus did the only thing he could think of. He threw Potter off him, nearly falling with him, pulled out his own wand and yelled, " _Stupefy!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a chapter in which severus interacts with people. of course interacting with them means arguing and getting into fights.


	5. Chapter 5

Severus looked at Slughorn defiantly as the Professor tutted while he wrote down on a piece of parchment that ate the ink, becoming blank until words appeared on them. He couldn't read the words properly but when he craned his neck he recognised McGonagall's handwriting.

"James has been revived, luckily for you."

Severus sneered. "I'm pleased." 

He was to an extent because his spell required Pomfrey to undo. Imagine what damage he would have done if he had been at full strength.

"Six weeks of detention. Minerva is asking for twice as much-"

"He attacked me! For the third time in three days!"

"James will have to stay in the Hospital Wing for a while, Snape," Slughorn explained with a pseudo-patient air.

"I was defending myself."

"You should have found another way."

"I tried," Severus gritted out. "He wouldn't stop."

Slughorn leaned back on his stuffed leather chair and tapped a finger on his cheek. "I supposed we could allow her to take points. Fifty, maybe a hundred."

Severus blanched. "No! I- I mean that's ridiculous."

"Mr. Snape we have witness accounts that say that James had not cast a single spell before you stunned him."

Severus bit the inside of his cheek. "Four weeks."

"Mr. Snape-"

"We're only five months from doing our mock NEWTs. I can't lose six weeks."

"Well," Slughorn sighed.

Encouraged, Severus continued, "Tell her- tell Professor McGonagall that you'll supervise-"

"You're already doing very well in my class. Why not use this as an opportunity to improve on Transfiguration?"

Severus was ready to argue until he stopped and thought about it. Would McGonagall agree to that? He thought that she would rather he cleaned the entire castle without magic for harming her Quidditch Captain. His grades that year were between Acceptable and Exceed Expectations. Though, Severus didn't need the highest of marks for his post-Hogwarts education, the better the results, the more scholarships he could apply to. Still he could not just study Transfiguration every day after class. There was homework to do, other classes to study.

"Will I have to do Transfiguration every day?"

Slughorn made an odd sound. "I suppose that isn't very productive."

Severus had one more question. "Does the Professor know I wouldn't exactly consider it punishment to get some studying done?"

Slughorn laughed. "Don't worry about that."

Right before Severus left, he turned around and said, "Black and those others are going to try and get revenge."

Slughorn laughed again. "You children and your dramatics."

Severus blushed with anger and he left. There was nothing dramatic about a werewolf nearly tearing into him. He should be used to it by now but he still felt the sting all the same when no one saw those boys like he did. 

The Astronomy class that night was quiet and cold. Severus used his well-maintained third hand telescope to find constellations and note the position of the planets in the sky. Observation was always easy and Astronomy was mostly observation. Today, Severus had to find Callisto and describe its craters and atmosphere. The NEWTs will only focus on the largest moons and planets of the galaxy. Anyone who chose to pursue the course after Hogwarts will study the millions of stars and planets in the universe. Severus thought it sounded exciting, there was so much learn, forging a legacy would not be that hard but until they found a way to get off the planet like the Muggles did, Severus would stick to cauldrons and unsavory magic.

He woke up early the next day and ate twice as much food as he usually did. In the next few hours, he studied while trying not to vomit. When Defense started, Severus followed Avery up the first flight of stairs and made sure the other boy took notes for him. There was no way he was going to a class that was majority Gryffindor, especially since Potter had yet to leave the Hospital Wing. 

Severus was the first one in class for Arithmancy. He took down notes on standard mean deviation, did the twenty work questions and then spent the last few minutes of the class doing his own calculations on his future. Afterwards, he was determined to become even more alert because the results did not look good. The assignment was one hundred extra equations using the last twenty copies of the Prophet which was met with groans, Severus included. He remained in the classroom with most of the students, starting immediately. Sometime later, he snuck off to the Transfiguration class where McGonagall was waiting.

"Mr. Snape, a word before your detention begins."

Severus shuffled to her desk, reminding himself to rein his temper in. She removed her glasses and look at him with a near unblinking glare.

"What you did is not excusable. No," she held up her hand as soon as Severus opened his mouth, "let me finish. While the circumstances are understandable, reacting with such violence-"

Severus couldn't hold it in any longer. "They nearly stunned me on Saturday!" He shuddered remembering how weak he had felt and how his shield did not seem strong enough to handle the spells. In a lower voice, he spoke, "I didn't know he was going to get that hurt. I just wanted...."

McGonagall pursed her lips. "It was why I agreed with Professor Slughorn to conduct your detentions in this manner. Again, you have to be punished for dueling in the school corridors."

"Will he be punished?"

"Mr. Potter is already serving detention for his behaviour on Saturday and Sunday. I'll of course add some days."

"Can I get started?" Severus asked. He was trembling and he could feel his heart beating. There was some stinging in his eyes. It was ridiculous the way he was reacting to her words.

"Go ahead. If you have any questions, ask them."

He waited until he had removed his work from his bag to say, "I do have some questions."

McGonagall left towards the end of the detention. When she came back to dismiss him, she said, "Potter is awake."

"Does he remember anything?"

McGonagall gave him a sharp look. "Why does that matter to you?"

Severus shrugged in what he hoped was a casual manner. "I don't want another fight."

"I doubt he doesn't remember but I’ll ensure he knows better than to pick another fight with you."

Severus maintained his air of apathy until he was back in his room when he began to panic. Potter was not entirely stupid. He could piece together why he saw Severus when no one else could, why his wand behaved so peculiarly and why touching Severus sent energy through the both of them. This whole thing could be over before Severus even got a chance to meet Lucius. His skin crawled when his mind decided to conjured images against his will of the two of them acting like Bonded couples. 

Severus had to find Lucius. He could fashion a portkey and leave the castle through a secret passage way he found a few years ago. Hopefully there was a spell or something that tear the Bond and free Severus. If there wasn't any, he'll just find Potter and Obliviate him. He could forge Lily's handwriting, charm it to fly to the sixth year Gryffindor dorms and wait for Potter to show up.

A loud but quick series of knocks stopped Severus in the middle of his pacing. He opened the door and was surprised to see Avery.

"Class was cancelled."

"Cancelled? Wh- why?"

Avery smiled slowly. "Hedge had a family emergency. It's his wife but they won't know it until later."

Severus cast Muffliato, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "Why not yell it while you're at it? Your father was there? What do you mean later? Is she… dead?"

Avery did not change his expression when he said, "What do you think?"

Severus thought that he wanted a lot of space between the two of them. He wanted whatever the Dark Lord could offer but hearing what they did is another thing. Then he remembered having a Muggle father meant that Severus could be a target if he so much as toed the line so Severus returned Avery's smile, injecting some malice into it.

A break in his frantic thoughts allowed Severus to remember that the Malfoy Manor was heavily warded and that Lucius was very strict about predetermined meetings these days. Also that Potter could easy ask Lily if she had written him the note since they shared a Common Room. Severus had to instead come up with a good lie to explain everything.

The next day, after spending half of Care of Magical Creatures trying not to get strangled by the Kappa he was assigned, Kettleburn helped him feed the demon with blood from a heifer after it became clear that Severus was not strong enough to fight the creature off for long. While it slept, Severus took measurements of its body, as well as few scales from its back and some of the water in the depression on its head. Taking care of Thestrals was much easier than this. No one laughed at him because they had to keep a careful eye on the Kappas they were given. 

The class was happening in a closed off part of the lake. Severus could see mermaids watching them and at one point was tempted to throw his Kappa over the fence Kettleburn had erected so they could feast on it. After finishing his work, Severus could no longer ignore the images that being there forced him to see in his mind. He could still feel the faint breeze and the sun's heat on his entire body and the gasps and shrieks that burrowed themselves into his mind so deeply that sometimes, especially moments like these, it was all he could hear. Severus raised his hand.

"Sir, can I leave?"

"Put it inside the aquarium first," Kettleburn said. Severus levitated the sleeping demon into the aquarium sitting in the shade. Then he walked away, staring at the grass and listing the ingredients for the incredibly tedious Birthing potion. 

"Snape."

Severus flinched, his hand going for his wand but missing by inches. Potter was standing near the largest greenhouse where Severus' Herbology class was going to begin. He was pale and his hair was wilder than usual.

"I'm not here to fight," Potter said. Instead of calming him, it sent Severus' heart beating so hard that his breathe came out in a shudder. With trembling hands, he drew his wand. Potter looked unimpressed and didn't even bother to arm himself.

Potter took in a deep breath and seemed to steel himself before speaking, "The day before... my wand had never acted like that before. Not even-"

"I invented a spell," Severus rushed out, though he realised immediately that Potter wasn't asking about happened when they touched. 

"What? What does that have to do-"

"It was a stinging hex. You get stung if you touch-"

"That has nothing to do-"

"Tell me," Severus said nearly screaming, "how did you immobilise me like that?"

"Why-"

"I told you mine so tell me yours."

Potter removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. Severus realised he could Obliviate him right there and then.

"You daft, daft-"

"What was it?" Severus asked with urgency.

"A freezing jinx! Stop interrupting me-"

"Well then I suppose we have nothing to talk about." Severus said imitating Lucius' snotty stance. "I have class."

"You did something to my wand," Potter snapped.

"I was casting the spell," Severus said. A second later he congratulated himself. "I was casting the spell and you were fighting me so your wand didn't know what to do."

"How-"

"Did you know that wands change allegiances?"

"Of course you ugly git! Everyone knows that."

Severus didn't until his fourth year. "Not everyone is born Pureblood, Potter," he said because he knew pretending to be above blood purity was all Potter did these days.

Potter actually pulled at his hair. "Fine. Good. It wasn't what I thought it was. I'm very pleased," he said with such forcefulness that Severus could feel spit landing on his skin. 

Severus removed the heavy gloves he chose to wear that day as casually as he could, going as far as to look back at the lake where the class was wrapping up. This was a mistake as Potter was feet away breathing heavily. Suddenly, Severus found his ears filled with wheezing laughter. 

"Also I take Herbology too!"

Oh, Severus thought. He was starting to remember. It was the reason he went to such length to protect his plants. Something was wrong with his brain. How could he forget that or become unable to draw his wand?

"Whatever," Severus said. His hands were cold but he could not put his gloves on again. Potter kept glancing at them every few minutes. Professor Sprout came just before the bell rang to open the greenhouse.

"How are you, dear?"

"I'm fine," Potter answered. "Madam Pomfrey was just overly worried."

"It was a powerful curse I was told."

Severus was half preening, half anxious. The teachers were talking about his spell work but it was only out of concern for Potter. Sprout was rather nice and Severus didn't want to her treating him like the rest of the castle did.

"Come inside, Severus. Feed the Venomous Tentaculas for me before the other students come. Also do you mind if you spend some of your detentions here? I do need some help tending to the plants."

"Yes.... I mean, no I don't mind," Severus said. His cheeks reddened when Potter snorted.

Sprout clapped. "One point to Slytherin for helpfulness." Just as Severus was starting to feel pleased, she continued, "You'll work with James starting from this week."

Severus raised his hand. "Professor, I actually mind very much."

Sprout gave him a cheeky grin but Severus decided that it only looked that way because she was starting to face away from him. She was too nice to do that.

"Don't worry. James assures me he'll be on his best behaviour."

Whatever Severus was going to say was cut off by a large sack of Chizpurfles that was dropped on his toe. Potter innocently asked him what was wrong when Severus jumped away cursing. Sprout looked annoyed at his language. Severus shuffled to the Tentaculas to feed them the tiny parasites instead of saying anything that might make her angrier. 

When class began, Severus went to his work space far from Potter. His mind was much clearer when Sprout announced the end of the class where they collected Snargaluff pods. The class walked out slowly together, talking about the next Quidditch game from the little Severus had heard. He was unbothered all the way to the Library, though he saw Black out of the corner of his eye guffawing with a younger boy from Hufflepuff. 

From that day Severus decided to become more cautious. He needed to know when Potter was coming, he needed to make sure they never had skin on skin or skin on wand contact, and he needed to get into the Restricted Section to find solutions on his own. Saturday was too far away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More interactions between the two soulmates. I decided to invent mock NEWTs because it makes little sense not to prepare NEWT students in advance. I also decided that Severus would do 8 subjects because frankly nothing in canon has shown the course work to be that heavy that 8 would be ridiculous. It does mean that Severus has less free time especially now that he has a month of detention.
> 
> Tell me what you think.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a massive mistake that I can't change. Severus Snape turned 17 on January 9th 1977 which fell on a Sunday. I used January 9th 1976 because I saw that it happened on a Friday and I was too excited to do the math.

On Thursday morning, Severus brought his invisibility cloak with him to class and because of that he had to be very careful with his bag. Weirdly, Potter, Black and Lupin attended the Potions class for the first time since the third last week of the previous term. They even came in as early as he did and took the last bench in the class, adjacent to his forcing him to go to the front. Pettigrew was not back yet but for the first time the other three acted like they normally did.

"Sir," Black's hand shot up, "Snape has no partner."

Severus could murder him. Slughorn had noticed and ignored the fact that Severus had taken over his own table.

"Yes, it seems so" the Professor said feigning like he observed that for the first time.

"Everyone is in groups," Black continued doing a very poor job of looking innocent.

"Amortentia isn't that hard," Severus said moving until there was very little space for anyone else to sit.

"You would know," Black said. The class snickered. Severus saw Lily biting her lip before raising her hand.

"I can work with Snape," she said. Macdonald gave her a sharp look.

"I don't need partners," Severus said because he didn't. He always hated working with other people, even Lily. They were too slow and made mistakes that would drive him wild with anger. "It's not very hard," he repeatedly, taking care to sound very snotty. Lily rolled her eyes and levitated her cauldron, scales, and ingredients to his table, making Severus squawk before hurriedly and carefully pushing his aside before they collided. Potter looked less than pleased with all of this. Severus wished he had taken a ninth class so he could be given a Time Turner, which he would have used to warn himself while in History of Magic because he did not like the way Potter was looking at him.

They worked in silence. It took an hour for them to react instinctively to what the other wanted, just like before. Severus handled the moon lilies, delicately removing every petal and arranging them carefully on the simmering water into a shape of a human heart. He briefly wondered if this was what Meadowes saw before moving aside so that Lily could drop one drop of condensed lavender oil on each of the petals. Severus cut a finger of ginger into tears from a unicorn, waited ten seconds for the ginger to dissolve in the liquid before pouring in the preserved blood of a lamb. Once Lily was done, he enlarged a spatula and quickly dunked the petals. Then she poured the ingredients he had just prepared into the cauldron, removing her hands when it began to steam heavily. This was how they worked, moving with swift efficiency. By the time the lesson was over, they had gotten the mother-of-pearl sheen and the flowery swirls. No one else in the class had come close. Severus allowed himself to be satisfied even though he had to bite his tongue a dozen times to keep from being critical.

"You can all stop. There's only ten minutes of class left. No, Wood, you cannot salvage that," Slughorn said to a tall Ravenclaw whose Potion was a sticky grey mess. "Let's us all come to the front. Lily and Snape have been rather successful at making the Amortentia. Twenty points to each."

Severus was very unhappy about this. He charmed and warded his bag while the rest of the class shuffled to the front, then he decided against it and just shrunk that and hid it inside of his pocket.

"This," Slughorn began as he scooped some of the potion of the cauldron, "is an average Amortentia potion. Not an insult to the two who made it. Making a perfect one takes practice. Now," he moved the ladle in a circle so that everyone could see, "look at the colour, the swirl and the very important luster."

"How can you tell it's average?" Wood asked.

"If you look closely, you can see that it's slightly pink," Slughorn answered. 

"Oh," Lily said. "We used more petals than we needed."

"No," Severus answered on Slughorn's behalf, "we used more blood, ginger and horn."

"Five points to Slytherin," Slughorn said. Severus tried not to preen. "What can you smell?"

Macdonald, who was closest, answered, "Hair gel, leaves and ink."

"What do you smell?" Lily asked him excitedly.

Severus knew then that despite all his fantasies she never belonged in Slytherin. He answered truthfully, "Nothing."

He could not pick up any distinctive smells. He and Lupin were the only ones as the rest of the class took turns sniffing the potion before giving complete or incomplete lists of what they smell. Lily blushed prettily when Potter told her that her hair was one of his three. Severus nearly gagged.

Macdonald gave him suspicious stares as they walked towards the Ancient Runes class. Severus put as much distance between the two of them as possible. Thankfully the class went smoothly as it was a continuation of the previous one. After it was done, Severus found a dark alcove and put on the invisibility cloak. 

Madam Pince was at her desk glaring at a group of Gryffindors who were getting increasingly louder by the second. Severus went under the rope separate the Restricted Section from the rest of the library. On his open palm was the permission slip he received on the first day of the school year that allowed him and other NEWT students to enter the section unhindered. There was some talk in his fifth year about the access being completely cut off for everyone regardless of age. Severus silently thanked Dumbledore for not going through with it as he went to the Humanities part.

Severus looked around before casting a concealing charm that worked like a notice-me-not only people would not be able to see any changes to the shelves. The books on Soulmates were on the furthest end and were dusty from disuse. For some reason the books were overly monstrous compared to the others as if to deter people like him. He cast Pince's spell only to find to his irritation that it did not work at all. Severus had to scan the titles of about a hundred books manually, pausing every once in a while when a certain one caught his attention. He rolled his eyes at a book that contained dark spells that required a Bonded pair, as if he needed someone else for complex forms of magic. 

It took an hour to read the ridiculous titles in many different languages on the worst book covers (one even required a powerful Lumos before he could work out the letters) before he found the most promising one. The book was entirely in Latin and was handwritten in small letters. There was no table of content. Severus had to find individual chapters, read them slowly as he had trouble with conjugations and difficult words. Twice Pince came into the restricted section, muttering under her breath as she looked for books. Though she did not look at his direction once, Severus froze until she left. Paranoid, he checked to make sure the cloak had covered him entirely. 

Half an hour to four o'clock, Severus found what he was looking for. The first few paragraphs warned of the danger of attempting to tear a Bond, claiming that it could destroy the magic of the one casting the spell. He snorted before coping the entire chapter to a roll of parchment. Even if he was wrong, he could still come back after detention to look more thoroughly at the books. After a few seconds of thought, Severus lightly coated the book with a film of dust so that no one knew it was touched. Afterwards he went to find an empty classroom. Normally he would rather do his less understandable (to put it midly) research in the safety of his room, something he learnt painfully in his previous years but today was Gryffindor's last practice before the game against Hufflepuff. Black, Lupin and Potter would be too busy to try and find him.

After cleaning the desk and chair in the first disused classroom Severus discovered, he removed the roll and his cloak. There were about five different translating spells that he knew so first he cast a Protean Charm on the parchment, something Lily had taught him, and then he performed the translating spells. The translations were different from one another and he had to reread each roll several times. In the end Severus learnt that it was possible to break the Bond between him and Potter, the consequences, as well as historical attempts but not the actual process. In fact the most important thing was that he needed Potter for it to work.

At a quarter past five, Severus was inside one of the greenhouses with Sprout feeling lightly elated from all he accomplished that day. Sprout asked him to harvest the winter legumes. A hundred of them were planted in the beginning of winter. They were supposed to be harvested, turned into milk and fermented before spring. Sprout wanted him to work on fifty before the end of the detention. Severus did it in gloves as the planets had tiny needles all over the stem, flowers and pods. Halfway through, Potter bounded into the greenhouse with his hair pasted onto his forehead, a giant smile on his face, his glasses smudged so much that whenever weak sunlight hit the lenses they seemed opaque.

"Professor Spout!" Potter cried then he pulled out some wild flowers, bundled them haphazardly with his rather wet scarf. Sprout went from disgruntled to barely holding in a laughter.

"And what is this?" She asked gently taking the flowers.

Potter was vibrating with glee. "Consolation for your team."

"Mr. Potter," Sprout started half offended.

"We have the greatest line up in Quidditch history!" Potter announced still shaking. Severus knew little about the game and even he was squinting his eyes at that. "I can't wait for Saturday!"

Sprout sighed as she returned the flowers to their pots with a flick of her wand. "I suppose I could allow you miss Saturday's detention as my consolation to you."

Potter just threw his head back and laughed. Severus was getting no enjoyment from that conversation and he went back to meticulously gathering the seeds.

"Severus is nearly done with his so you'll want to start now," Sprout told Potter. He came with a lot of unnecessary energy to his side designated with a line in the soil that Severus had drawn. 

Potter recklessly used his Quidditch gloves on the plant. Severus briefly grinned to himself at the sight knowing that Potter will absentmindedly scratch his skin, getting thorns embedded in them. Ten minutes of annoying, tuneless humming followed. Severus was upset to find that Potter was halfway through his fifty though some of the seeds looked squashed. The humming was replaced with lips smacking and loud chewing.

"Do you want some?" Potter asked holding out a small packet of gum when he noticed Severus glaring. Severus intensified his glare before Potter shrugged. "Ah. We taught you too well, Snivy." 

He pulled out another packet, removed a pellet and popped into his mouth. That was when Severus realised that the one he was being offered was probably a fake one. This realisation must have shown on Severus' face because Potter laughed until his whole body was quaking.

Severus could not help but glance at Potter occasionally, partly for safety, partly because he wondered if Potter would agree to break the Bond. They both hated each other and Severus could not imagine Potter being happy with him as a Soulmate. Then again Potter was obsessed with keeping to tradition, the exception being blood purity so he might balk at the suggestion. Severus would have to approach him carefully and probably tell a lot of lies. For the first time, he hoped Lily was in love with Potter so that she could entice him to remove whatever unholy magic joined Severus and him.

After Severus was finished, he softly put his sack at Sprout's feet and asked her if he could take some of the flowers with him.

"Be careful with them," she told him. "In the wrong potion, they could make ingredients volatile."

Severus nodded even though he already knew. As he left, he noticed Potter speeding up. He went to the Potions classroom where Slughorn was.

"Snape," Slughorn said when he saw him.

"Yes?" Severus was beginning to feel nervous wondering fleetingly if Slughorn knew what he was brewing.

Slughorn fidgeted, opened his mouth, and closed it, three times. Finally he said, "Never mind."

Severus went to the ingredient cupboard and self-consciously picked many of them. Over the course of the next two hours, he made ten vials of painkillers, seven vials of calming draught, three vials of Draught of Peace and a thermos of Energy Boosting Solution. Slughorn had left early and came back as Severus was clearing his table.

"You don't need me to look at the... potions you made?"

"No, sir. They all were satisfactory to me," Severus answered, maintaining eye contact even as Slughorn's eyes swept the remaining ingredients. There was something in the man's expression that Severus did not understand or like.

"Well, my boy, you go and put those in the cupboard."

Severus did that and left without saying anything else. Afterward he wondered if Slughorn thought he was going to take the ingredients with him. Inside his room, he drank a third of the thermos even though he drank a goblet that the morning. Maybe he was imagining it but it felt like the Celare spell was draining him even more as each day went by. It had been a while before he was forced to drink the nasty tasting solution that gave him mild cramps. Unlike the other students, Severus did not need to eat that much to function. The only reason he packed food every day was because Lily reported him to Slughorn. 

"Saturday. Saturday. Saturday." He only needed to hold on until Saturday. Then he will stop taking those potions every day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I should add a tag for drug use since Severus is kinda abusing some of these potions. Without them, he'd be a wreck.


	7. Chapter 7

Severus woke up the next day desperately thirsty. He drank a cup and a half of water before he vomited it out on his bed, leaving him with gas and some mild cramps. Drinking slowly was harder than he thought especially since his thirst was beginning to feel painful and he could feel pain building behind his temple. He drank a vial of painkillers, choking on the sour taste before taking a few more sips of water to wash it out. This time his hand only throbbed in pain as he hid the Names.

The only class he had that day was Transfiguration, which was fortunate as Severus wanted to do as little as he possibly could. He left his room after a brief shower and nearly collided into someone.

"Snape, was it?" The person who turned out to be a rather short Slytherin asked. "Madeline said you do assignments for other people?"

"For a fee," Severus said in a tone that he hoped meant he won't bargain.

"Potions?"

"All subjects to be honest."

The girl squealed in happiness before talking rapidly. "I'm in my fourth year and I need the essays before Monday. I've written them in this piece of paper," she shoved a square piece of paper into his hand before snatching hers away. "They need to be complete. I want at least 80% on all of them."

Severus nodded as his eyes scanned the lists. He still had some of the essays from his fourth year that he could use. It was unlikely that the curriculum had changed in two years. He should be done before Saturday- no, he was seeing Malfoy on Saturday. By Sunday then. Severus held out his other hand for payment. The girl blushed for some reason before removing a small money bag from inside her robe. She turned redder as Severus counted the sickles, knuts and galleons. For five essays, he charged ten galleons altogether for both his time and his silence. The price was higher when it came to tutoring. The girl was new and looked likely to ask for help again so he said nothing to her about being three galleons short. 

The Great Hall had more people than usual. Severus slouched as he ate, hating the sounds of their voices. He did not take a calming draught for the first time in a week and he caught himself twitching and feeling a lot of irritation even when he arrived alone in the Library as soon as it opened. He finished the first essay for the girl, a Potions essay naturally. It was only ten inches long and barely complicated. Unless they came to him for tutoring, Severus did not fix people's mistakes so he resolved to say nothing about how easy it was. He then altered the handwriting to match the one in the piece of paper she had given him.

His mood deteriorated further when Potter tripped him outside of the Transfiguration class room. Severus cursed almost as loudly as the snickers around him and he promised himself he would do something to Potter before the day ended. Severus limped inside the classroom and once again sat by himself. The painkillers were working so he only felt discomfort when he accidently put a lot of weight on the bruised leg while he wrote notes and Vanished a pin cushion. Potter and Black were faster than him and Lily finished after he did.

"Your assignment," McGonagall began when the bell rang, "is to practice Vanishing objects." The groans in the class room turned into cheers and sighs of relief. "Mr. Snape, Potter, remain behind."

Potter remained unbothered as the class filtered out and because he did not leave his seat, Severus remained in his.

"Your detention today is being overseen by Filch," McGonagall said. Potter immediately groaned and lightly hit his head on the table. "Potter, I don't want one complaint from you or I will bench for tomorrow's match."

"Professor, no!"

"You are. Dismissed."

Severus was about to ask if he would have detention tomorrow since Potter was not but he didn't because he did not want to tell on Professor Sprout. Though there was some doubt that McGonagall would be bothered by her Captain having the whole day free. He shuffled out of the class after Potter had left. Thankfully nothing happened on the way back to the Library where Severus spent the next six hours alternating between studying and writing the fourth year essays. 

At five he was outside Filch's office which was closed with some faint sounds that sounded like an argument coming from the inside. Just as Severus was about to knock, the door swung open with a red faced Potter on the other side.

"Snape!" Filch called. Severus moved aside before Potter could bump into him. "Come in. You'll be-"

Potter looked less angry when he said, "Cleaning the bed pans in the Hospital Wing. No magic."

"No and you'll shut your trap before speaking for me, Potter. Snape will be organising my drawer."

Potter's jaw dropped. "That's not fair."

"And I don't care," Filch said sneering. "Get going or Professor McGonagall will hear about it."

Severus had a triumphant smile on his face at the outrage on Potter's, who immediately stomped out, muttering about Squibs.

"Sir," Severus said as he got inside the office.

"Those drawers," Filch pointed at the furthest corner in the odd shaped office, "arrange the files alphabetically. Don't look inside, just work with the names on the files."

Severus pulled back his sleeves and said, "No problem."

"And afterwards," Filch began to look nervous, "clean the whole place." Severus began assessing the size and calculating how long it could take when Filch continued, "With magic. You know the spells, yes?"

"Uh-"

"It wouldn't be any effort," Filch pressed on thinking Severus would be hesitant. "If you don't-"

"I know the spells, sir," Severus interrupted. "I'll do it, no worries. Thank you for... for... this," he finished rather pathetically. Filch nodded.

The drawers contained hundreds of files decades old. They were dusty and some of the names were worn off but after finding a rhythm, Severus' mind wandered away to his assignments, his plans, and, for a short while, a daydream in _The Lord of Rings_ trilogy in which he was a graceful and powerful elf. Two hours later, he had arranged all but fifty of the files. Since he could not read what was inside, he simply picked them up and went to where Filch was sitting.

"These are unreadable, sir."

"Put them down and get on with it."

Severus put them on a chair. His hand was coated in dust and tiny dead insects. He pulled his wand out gingerly and first cleaned himself before casting Scourgify on the floor. He folded the dozens of odd clothing items, removed the dust and grime from the walls. The only thing he didn't need to clean were two pairs of shackles hanging high opposite Filch's desk.

"I'm done, sir."

Filch gruffly told him that he was free to go. The moment he was down the corridor from the office, he spotted Black on the other side looking determined. Severus ran, zigzagging as spells flew over his head and near his sides, running down the flight of stairs to the entrance hall, twisting his ankle halfway but not stopping until he was in the dungeons. Black cursed loudly behind him but did not pursue him any further. Severus shoved his hands into his pockets and tried to breathe normally. He would have fought but Saturday was only hours away. Black was not worth extra hours of detention. Afterwards though, Severus would not hold back if he saw him. 

By Saturday morning, he had finished two more of the essays with only one left. He had drank some with water he boiled for himself and a teabag Mulciber had given him and recorded what he saw as part of his Divination term assignment. Most of the school was still in their Common Rooms when Severus, under his invisibility cloak, went through the One-Eyed Witch passage. Once inside Honeydukes he stole a few sweets as he had not eaten any breakfast. 

He went past the joke shop, as usual entertaining the thought of setting it on fire and watching the despair on the faces of the students. Today he ignored all the shops he usually visited for the Hogsmeade Post Office. Inside was Maximilian Prude, a man in his seventies with wild gray hair and in Lucius Malfoy's debt. Severus did not know how the debt came about but he knew that if you wanted to leave the school quietly, you go to the Post Office during the early mornings.

"A portkey from Lucius Malfoy?" Severus asked forgoing greeting after he opened the cloak for the clerk to see his face. Maximilian gave him an anxious glare before ushering him up the stairs into a bedroom.

"It's the candle. You have five minutes. If you miss it, then it's not my problem. It was hell getting it authorised."

Severus nodded trying to hide his nervousness. He hated portkeys intensely but he stood close to the small, white candle counting down the seconds. Ten seconds before the portkey activated, Severus touched the candle and braced himself. He landed on his bum near a tall hedge and spent a few moments wondering if he had broken anything and holding in vomit until the nausea passed. The walk to the Manor was longer than he remembered it being. Finally he appeared in front of a large iron gate. He pulled the cloak until his head was uncovered.

"Severus Snape," he said loudly feeling stupid. The gate slid open for him and he saw a young, white peacock perched on a thick levitating piece of wood. It was staring ahead, strangely still. Severus carefully came into the property, not even jumping when the gate shut loudly. The bird was unperturbed by the noise. 

The house loomed in the distance, surrounded by acres of snow covered trees. Severus felt the familiar twinge of jealousy. By the time Lucius Malfoy was born the house was many generations old. The only thing Severus had was a house in the middle of a slum somewhere up north. One day his children would live in a manor just like this.

The front door was opened before he even reached it. Abraxas Malfoy stood tall before him wearing a heavy cloak. Severus could not afford a proper winter cloak; he used heating charms on his cloaks and robes. Abraxas looked at him with barely concealed amusement like there was nothing funnier than a half Muggle at his house.

"Severus Snape, if I remember correctly."

"Yes, sir," Severus said. He wondered if he was supposed to bow. The first time he met the Malfoy patriarch he bowed and Abraxas blew air out of his mouth and coughed. 

"My son is waiting for you in the living room."

"Thank you, sir," Severus said, then throwing caution to the wind, he bowed. Abraxas' eyes narrowed and his mouth twitched. He stepped out and kept a distance as he passed by him. 

Inside the Manor was warm with the walls covered in portraits that looked down on him with disapproval. Severus averted his eyes as he quickly made his way to the living room. It was the only room he knew since he was not allowed in other parts of the house, especially the drawing room. Lucius Malfoy was sitting on the floor in front of a book case.

"Severus! You came! I thought Dumbledore would be keeping watch over Hogsmeade."

"I used a passageway I don’t think Filch or the teachers know about and my invisibility cloak. Thank you so much for helping." Severus said removing the cloak entirely before casting around for somewhere appropriate to put it.

"Just leave it on the floor." Severus didn't argue with him though he did so gently. Malfoy was looking at him in naked interest for the first in years. "What happened?"

"I got a name. It's... undesirable."

"Undesirable? We have baited the Ministry possibly with that portkey for just undesirable?"

Severus inhaled noisily. "I- it can't be this person. I ha-" he stopped before he could finish because Malfoy would put two and two together, "- can't… do my part with this thing tying me down."

"It's a mudblood?"

What the difference between a mudblood and a blood traitor? Severus nodded. "Yes. I think I'm older than them but I don't know by how many days or weeks or months."

"Who is it?"

Severus could feel himself sweating. He could not tell Malfoy. At best he'd add one more thing that Malfoy could blackmail him about. At worst Malfoy might think to use this to lure Potter to the other side of this war. Nothing good could come from this.

"I can't tell you."

"Don't be silly. Let me see." Malfoy grabbed both his hands with such strength that Severus could not fight this. He blinked, briefly rubbed the skin and blinked again. "Oh. You've been using-"

"Yes. It worked better than all concealing spells."

"I heard it's awful."

"You- your skin feels like it's tearing. It leaves you weak even after an hour."

"That tells me enough. Mudbloods," Malfoy said in disgust finally letting go of his hand, "forcing people like us," Severus' heart skipped a beat, “to go to such lengths…. Fortunately I have a solution of some sorts. Wait here."

Malfoy left the room for several minutes before returning. Severus could not hide the shiver that went down his spine at the sight of a large, leather bound book. It was finally over; he had found a way out in just a week. Malfoy sat back down cross-legged opposite Severus. He put the book down between them, opened the pages until he was past the mid-point and turned it around for Severus. The words were handwritten in Latin, the pages were yellowing and there was a soft whisper coming from the book.

"How old is it?"

"As old as Nicholas Flamel."

Severus had to know something before they began. "Why not make this public knowledge?"

Malfoy looked like he expected the question. He explained, "The Soulbonds are sacred and very important for keeping order. They have helped us survive the trials Muggles have put us through. They keep the blood pure. Magic with magic, most of the time. Sometimes, not often, mistakes are made and we rectify those in private."

"Mistakes?" Severus asked thinking of Potter.

"With Muggle-borns, Squibs and even Muggles," Malfoy replied pointedly.

Severus felt his heart stop for a few seconds. "Muggles? How?" He was horrified. His mind went to his mother inside that dark house.

"Yes, somehow there have been instances of Muggles receiving Names. No doubt stolen from wizards."

Severus' brain was sluggish. He tried to remember how his father's hands looked. He was sure he'd know if his mother’s name was tattooed on him.

"Shall we begin?" Malfoy said.

"Yes, yes. Please."

"First I have to warn you of what could happen to your other half."

Severus was whole. He did not need Potter for anything. "I don't care."

"It's not about caring, Severus. It's about knowing. Whoever they are, they will get ill. If they are weak, they might die. We are mixing their very essence with that of a lesser creature." Malfoy gave him a meaningful look. Severus never thought of Potter as physically weak. He wondered what would happen if a Pureblood died because of him. 

"I don't care."

Malfoy's face broke into a grin. "I was right about you. You have what it takes to serve the cause and more. Of course this could work in your favour. You could force them to break the bond completely instead of muting it if they want to survive."

Severus was grinning too. He could see in his mind Potter groveling on his knees begging for help. "I'm ready."

He gripped his wand tightly and read a passage Malfoy highlighted for him until he had it memorised. Then a small shivering elf brought a large orange hare into a circle Malfoy drew.

"A soul comes only from a living thing. A Soulbond ties two souls together until they're indistinguishable from one another."

"We're sacrificing-?"

"No, we're swapping souls."

"It won't live long."

"It will. It comes from the animal farms of Uagadou. It can live for decades. I'll keep it alive for you as a favour."

Yet another favour Severus owed him but he won't complain. It was worth it, though. As instructed, Severus put the hand with the tattoo on the animal and chanted the spell. At first nothing happened but suddenly his hand was on fire. Bright flames shot out of his skin where the Names were. Caught unaware, Severus screamed but he did not remove his hand. The pain quickly became horrific, pulsing down his body in waves that would not end. Malfoy was inching away looking fascinating, the flames turning his grey eyes an eerie white. An eternity later, it was snuffed out as suddenly as it came. Severus' hand was cooling rapidly. The hare jumped away letting his hand fall to the ground. When it turned around Severus saw that its fur had darkened. His skin on the other hand was pale again.

"Thank you."

"How do you feel?"

Severus was panting staring at his skin. He felt calm and safe for the first time in a long time. "Wonderful."

"Good," Malfoy said. "Before you leave, Kibble has something for you. It should tide you over for the rest of the year."

Severus had to return to the school before anyone noticed his absence. He struggled to his feet and bade Malfoy goodbye. Thankfully he did not meet Abraxas Malfoy again. Kibble was the same house elf from before. In its hand was a money bag that was considerably heavy.

"Master says it’s on the house," it spoke in a high shaky voice. Severus saw scars on its chest when it bowed low before him. He chose to focus on how being bowed to felt. 

"Thank him for me."

Severus walked swiftly to the gate under the cloak. He opened the bag and noticed a red plastic hippogriff on top of the sickles. It was his portkey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a big moment in the fic. i just want to say that just because someone believes something doesn't always mean it's right.
> 
> tell me what you think


	8. Chapter 8

Severus walked to the greenhouse for his detention feeling lighter and happier. He tried whistling but he couldn't hear anything with the loud cheers and boos coming from the pitch. Professor Sprout was not there but that was okay. Severus could use this opportunity to test his Herbology knowledge, see what needed watering, planting, harvesting or fixing. For an hour, in which he hummed a song he remembered his father playing on the record player, he made himself busy. The match ended with a loud, obnoxious cheer from the Gryffindors. Severus knew that because they were screaming their own House name. Half an hour later, Professor Sprout still hadn't come to any of the greenhouses so Severus left her note telling her what he did and for how long. He might have added minutes but it wasn’t like she would know if he was lying.

The entrance hall was filled with students, yelling and dancing or awkwardly trying to make their way through. Potter and his team were being carried on shoulders as they sang a childish celebratory song. It was frankly ridiculous and for the second time that day Severus was grateful for Malfoy. Severus kept his head down, flitting between bodies, trying not to touch anyone though when he did, he shivered. 

He got back to the common room which was occupied by Slytherins commiserating with one another. The next match was likely with Gryffindor and it was going to become nasty. Now that Severus did not have Potter to worry about, he could focus on worrying about that instead. Things always got nasty for him whenever Gryffindors and Slytherins faced off. For the seventh time in his life, Severus hoped the other team won. In case that did not happen, he went looking for Mulciber and Avery. 

They were together as usual, playing a board game with live pieces. Avery flashed him a smile when Severus pulled a chair to join them. Then he groaned when Mulciber threw a pair of dices and they landed on apparently the right number.

"So," Severus said.

"So," Mulciber replied bored.

"You look better than usual," Avery said as he rolled his dice. He gave a small cheer and smugly moved pieces until he won a toy dragon. 

"Thank you?"

Avery won eventually, taking more prices on the board than Mulciber who could care less. "Do you want to play?"

Severus shrugged like he didn't care. He took the dices from Mulciber, who switched places with him. Since Avery won the last round he got to start this one, which was how Severus caught on to most of the rules. The three of them barely talked for the next fifteen minutes except to taunt Severus for thinking too hard. Mulciber took over from Avery even though it was Severus who lost. Halfway through their game, three students burst through the entrance panting.

"Spencer's wife was found dead!" One of them cried as she launched into a recounting of how she found out. Severus took note of the fact that it happened in the entrance hall where the Gryffindors were still celebrating.

"Those bastards are going to use this to come after us," Severus noted. 

Mulciber smiled meanly. "All that dueling ought to provide good practice, don’t you think Snape?"

Avery was sitting straight, taking stock of the reactions in the room. No one was stupid enough to look devastated on behalf of a Muggle-born though there were some who were disquieted. Severus returned his attention to the board. By the time it was evening, he was winning more than he was losing, Mulciber was drinking beer from an opaque water bottle and Avery was beginning to get bored.

"Let's go get dinner," Mulciber demanded. Severus knew better than to refuse especially when he wanted the two of them to keep him around for the rest of the term. 

The Great Hall was both quiet and loud somehow. It was like every time Severus took note of the noise, it became much quieter than he expected. Black was glaring fiercely at the Slytherin table and especially Severus. Potter was ranting to a crowd of people from the other Houses. Lupin was nowhere to be seen. Lily had her arm around Macdonald, whispering into her ear while the girl cried. Severus could never cry for a stranger in public specially. Dinner was largely unremarkable despite all of that in the end. He ate less than he did that week since he was not compensating for significant energy loss. 

The conversation in the hall was half quidditch and half Spencer. Both made Severus bored. It wasn't like this was the first time someone died. Maybe the fact that Avery knew about it before anyone else should make Severus think but he was having too good of a day to pay attention to that. Neither Potter nor Black did anything when Severus left. Lily did send him a heavy look that he didn't understand. Right before he slept, Severus finished the final essays he was paid to do.

The next day was just as good. Severus woke feeling rested in comparison to the previous week. He went to breakfast early and returned to his room for a day of quiet revision and research in potions and incantations. At midday, he left to find the fourth year and then spent an extra twenty minutes helping Avery Vanish trash that was strewn about. 

On early Monday morning more Slytherins were awake than expected. The discussions Severus overheard were about the new Defense teacher as it was unlikely Spencer would come back. At least if he had any self-preservation. 

"Snape! Snape!" Parkinson, a regular customer, called. Severus waited for him to catch up. 

"What do you need?"

Parkinson grinned and slung an arm around Severus who hoped that he could not notice the reaction that was causing. "This is why I like you, Snape. Straight to the point."

He handed Severus a torn piece of paper with barely legible writing. Three essays, all over fifteen inches. Severus didn't take payment just yet. He trusted Parkinson's ego enough to know that he will be paid eventually. They walked together to get breakfast, Parkinson complaining about the OWLs the whole way there. He sounded very similar to Lily though he would not appreciate the comparison. 

Half the school was already there. Severus noticed Lily immediately. She didn't look like she had slept at all. Potter was pressed against her, buttering toast and putting it on her plate. Disgusted, Severus turned away and moved to the Slytherin table. Parkinson went to sit with his friends leaving Severus to occupy a large section of his table alone. He ate a lot of food because he could not risk being seen packing food away for later. Soon though Avery stumbled in and made a beeline to him, snatching sausages from Severus' table with his bare hands. Mulciber came strolling in as Severus was finishing the last of his tea. 

Reluctantly, Severus left for Divination alone with his stomach uncomfortably heavy and nausea creeping up in waves. He was on the stairs when he heard footfalls behind. He turned around to see Black bounding towards him.

"Snivellus!" He cried with his wand pointed at Severus, who reached for his wand but he was too late. Angry, weeping boils broke out across his skin. Black wasn't laughing, he was furious and raising his wand to cast another jinx.

"Sirius!" Flitwick appeared suddenly behind Black. "Stop!"

"But sir, he supports those bastards who murdered Professor Spencer's wife."

Flitwick waved Black over. "That's no excuse! Attacking someone while they're unarmed is dishonorable and you're not supposed to be dueling. Professor McGonagall will hear about this."

"But he's evil!"

Severus went up the stairs while Black was distracted. Madam Pomfrey was with a young student when he walked through the doors. She took one look at him and pointed to her office. He quickly found the boil cure and smeared it on his face which was the only part affected. Severus was glad Black forgot how to amplify the jinx. He went to the Divination classroom smelling like pus. Meadowes wrinkled her nose the entire period as they were forced to work together again. After the class, Severus hurried back to his room, showered again and changed to his last clean robes. 

Black was seething throughout the Charms lesson where they were supposed to change water to wine. Severus entertained himself with the thought of telling his father that Jesus was likely a wizard. Towards the end of the class, Black stood up and announced, "I think I’ve got it."

He pointed his wand at his goblet and filled with water. Then he yelled the incantation and moved his wand wrongly which was all the warning Severus needed to put up a shield as a large, powerful jet of water shot out of Black's wand onto the desk with such force that the water ended up spraying at Severus’ direction. Some of Severus' rather old textbook got wet but otherwise he was fine.

"Oh no," Black snarled. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"It's fine. It's fine," said a flustered Flitwick as he dried everything. "No harm done."

Severus dried his book gently because he didn't want to damage the pages any further. He was annoyed at Spencer for marrying a Muggle-born as much as he was annoyed at Flitwick for not seeing what everyone else was seeing. One day, he'll get them all back for this. 

After the class ended, Severus was shocked when Lily fell into step with him though she acted like she could not see him. Up close, he could see her eyes were red rimmed and her hair was tangled. Black was muttering to Lupin behind them. For some reason though they didn't attack. That did not stop Severus from feeling like an animal was creeping up towards him the entire time. The Transfiguration classroom was not far from the Charms one. It was where Severus went first so he could ask McGonagall who he was having detention with that day. Unfortunately, McGonagall was still teaching forcing him to wait outside, jumping every time he heard someone walking. Eventually the class ended and students filed out.

"Professor."

"Mr. Snape."

"Who will I be having detention with today?"

"It would be with me for most of this week unless the teachers want your help."

"All right. Do you have another class?"

"I do not. You can begin."

Severus decided to work on his assignment beginning with an explanation of the difference in turning vinegar to wine and water to wine. His text book only gave the barest explanation meaning that he would have to go to the Library for this. The workload this term felt light compared to the last one. Severus hoped it would not affect his mock NEWT results. He needed them to be as impeccable as possible so that he could confidently apply for scholarships early. Parkinson's anti salamander venom essay required little effort as Severus remembered his own essay written the week after Kettleburn brought actual fire and water salamanders to the school. 

After detention ended, Severus cast a notice-me-not charm and nearly collided with a first or second year Slytherin whose head was rapidly enlarging. He steadied the head and herded the confused, sobbing girl to the Hospital Wing where the beds were packed with students with all manner of injuries, all from the same House. Severus saw his spellwork and he shook with anger. He went to the dungeon casting subtle hexes at any Gryffindor he saw along the way. It did little to lessen his rage. Inside their Common Room, Mulciber was standing on a table addressing the housemates.

"We can't let this stand," he was saying in a low voice that somehow carried. The upper class students were nodding enthusiastically.

"The Hospital Wing is filled with Slytherins," Severus said. The whole House looked at him. "I took a first year there. Her neck could have snapped from how heavy her head was."

"That settles it then. If Dumbledore's Professors aren't going to do anything about this, it's up to us to protect ourselves. Let's go find those bastards."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> death eaters and aurors fight each other across great britain while children fight inside their school. this wa probably my favourite aspect of the original series though i'm going to intensify things because this is the first war and there are more wizards in the 70s than the 90s. 
> 
> tell me what you think. i love hearing your thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

Severus let himself fall back until he was nearly at the back of the group because being in front would be horrible for his record. Mulciber didn't seem to mind his record at all. He strode confidently at the front with his wand out. The person they saw was a younger Gryffindor, trying to balance three thick books. Mulciber raised his wand.

"You can't!" The boy cried, hiding behind the books. "These are for Professor-"

The spell hit him in his stomach and he flew back with a yelp. The books were levitated. They marched on, taking down two Hufflepuffs, a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin who tried to stop them from hurting the Ravenclaw. Severus winced when the Slytherin hit the wall and slid down. Still it was exciting being surrounded by people as angry and bitter as him. He prayed Potter or Black was loitering around so they would know what it felt like to be surrounded by more people than they could hope to beat. 

McGonagall was standing at the entrance of the dungeons with her arms crossed.

"What do you think you are doing? All of you?"

"There are Slytherins in the Hospital Wing," Mulciber answered calmly. "We are simply going to visit them."

McGonagall didn't buy it. She pursed her lips. "There is no need. Return to your dorms."

"Madam Pomfrey is probably overwhelmed," Mulciber tried again, "we are going to help."

"I said return to your Common Room."

"No. We don't need your permission," Mulciber said icily and he started walking again. Severus was vibrating with tension by this point and he had to force his feet to walk as everyone followed Mulciber's lead.

"You will return to your Common Room or I will be taking points and issuing detention."

"Is that what you told your House, Professor?" Mulciber asked, sounding like a man instead of a boy. 

"Mr. Mul-"

Severus gasped and he wasn't the only one. Mulciber pushed the Professor aside like she weighed nothing. Avery simply jumped over her legs, drew his wand and hexed someone Severus could not see. Suddenly, almost every person in the crowd had their wand out, going into the Great Hall. Jets of light shot out and then screams started filling the air; Severus was immediately blinded and he had to cover his ears as the noise dug inside sharply. The Slytherins were outnumbered but they were older and were using some nasty spells. Severus ducked as a counterjinx flew at him and he watched as a First Year's leg turned into rubber. He pulled away from the crowd and nearly ran into McGonagall. The other Professors were running in behind her. Someone shrieked in agony.

"Go now!" McGonagall screamed at him, pulling him by the collar. Severus nearly collided into Flitwick who was mumbling a complex spell that made Severus feel sleepy. When he looked back, everyone but the adults were slumping into the ground, even Mulciber. The spell broke when Severus stumbled into the entrance hall suddenly cold and shivering. He looked up and he saw a wide eyed Lily looking back and forth between the Great Hall and him. 

"What is going on?" Someone exclaimed. McGonagall left the Hall looking livid and looking older than her age.

"Explain what this was," McGonagall barked at him. Severus got to his feet.

"We were going to find whoever was attacking us," Severus said. It was both the truth and a lie. Then he grimaced; he should have told McGonagall nothing.

"This is expulsion worthy!” She yelled at him. “I hope you know that and I hope you thought it was worth."

"You're going to expel your Gryffindors?" Severus shot back. He flinched when she tightened her grip on her wand.

McGonagall put her wand away at his reaction. "When we find whoever has been-"

"You know exactly who it is!" Severus yelled so hard, he was nearly bowing. He could see Slughorn leaving the Hall.

"Professor," Lily cut in. "I think-"

Severus was not done. "You can't expel us and keep them. Not with the Board filled with Slytherins. They'll know what you consider acceptable."

"Snape," Slughorn said firmly. Severus bit his tongue. "I'll take him to my office, Professor."

"No! I allowed it the last time he-"

"Minerva," Slughorn drew close, "there is a lot of weight to the boy said. Tread carefully. We need cool heads to prevail before this escalates further."

McGonagall's face spasmed. "Not to your office. These students are from your House. You need to be here when they wake."

"Fine," Slughorn said beckoning Severus forward. "Lily, get the Headmaster."

"Mary already went, sir," Lily said. She was pale and visibly shaking.

Severus stomped to Slughorn. He caught a glimpse of the disappointment on Professor Sprout's face.

"Your wand, please," she said holding out a hand. Severus reluctantly gave it to her. She nonverbally cast a spell that caused his wand to emit a silver cloud that transformed into him casting the notice-me-not charm on himself, then turning water to wine. The silver version of Severus melted away and Sprout gave him back his wand. Slughorn pushed Severus none too gently away into the dungeons.

"This was exceedingly foolish of you. Do you know what this will do to our reputation? To my reputation?"

"Mulciber did say you were Dumbledore's," Severus said angrily.

"Of course," Slughorn began patronizingly, then he realised the implications there. He cleared his throat. "Go inside the Common Room. I'll speak up on your behalf."

"And the others?" Severus asked, not liking the outcome of being the only one to get away with this.

"I'll try. At least you knew better than to use a curse."

Severus didn't tell him that he was too startled to do anything. If Slughorn thought he did that to save his own skin, then Mulciber would too. "Potter and the others attacked children. I was there in the Hospital Wing." Severus shook his head lightly. That would not be enough to get Slughorn to look Dumbledore in the eye and defend his House. "Someone said that they were planning to pick us off during dinner." 

"So you all thought there would be some sort of ambush in the Great Hall?"

"Yes," Severus lied. Slughorn did not look like he believed him, it didn't matter though. "It's why none of the younger students came with us."

"Oh my,” Slughorn said flatly but with a calculated look, “I suppose that should be brought to the attention of the Headmaster."

"Yes,” Severus replied, “we feel very unsafe, sir." 

"Go then. Tell them that no one is to leave until I say so."

Severus took off to the Common Room. The Ravenclaw from earlier threw themselves over the Slytherin when he walked past. The Gryffindor was sitting on the ground crying though he looked uninjured. Severus paused to read the titles of the books that were still levitating and hope Slughorn would let him borrow them. 

"Sugared pineapple," he said and the entrance to the Common Room opened up.

"Snape, what is going on?" Parkinson called out. Severus launched into a short version of what had happened. 

"And we did this because we felt no one in the school was looking out for us. Is that clear?" He finished. People nodded and voiced their agreement. Those who didn't understand what Severus really meant crowded around the ones that did. Severus went to Parkinson. "Slughorn said we can't leave but you need to owl your parents. The more pressure Dumbledore is under, the less likely he'll dwindle down our numbers."

"Fine," Parkinson said though he was displeased at being ordered by a Half-blood. "We'll get our invisibility cloak. You know how to do a Disillusionment charm?"

Five minutes later, a dozen boys followed Parkinson out of the secret entrance. There was nothing Severus could do except ask the remaining prefects if they could remain behind ‘calm’ the lower class students to help solidify his claims. When he had time to think about it, though, they did not feel like claims. Being attacked by Dumbledore's favourites was an acceptable complaint. The only issue was that Mulciber went to the Great Hall for revenge rather than protection. That was reasonable in Severus' book but he doubted Dumbledore and McGonagall would agree. 

Parkinson returned after an hour. "Whew," he said whistling. The others boys removed their invisibility cloaks or they poked at Severus so he would undo the charm. 

"What's going on?"

"They were taking people to St. Mungo's. McGonagall was shouting about Dark Magic to someone, then they took wands for examination."

"From everyone?" Were his housemates injured?

"No," Parkinson said.

Severus understood immediately. They only took the wands from the Slytherins. "Do you suppose they did the same thing to Potter?" He asked darkly.

"Hmm? Potter? No one mentioned Potter."

Severus was so angry and frustrated. "You owled your parents, right?"

"Yes," said one of the boys impatiently. "I told mine to owl her friends."

Hopefully this would reach Malfoy soon. Abraxas was on the Board of Governors. After that Severus could only pace in the corridors of the dorms, finding the common area too restrictive. He wondered what they thought of him here alone and seemingly escaping the wrath of the teachers. A Half-blood like him with a Muggle father could not afford to be scrutinized like that. 

At half past eight, Slughorn lumbered into the Common Room followed by the rest of upper class students. Avery was shifting from one foot to another, the others were either pale or red in the face. Only Mulciber looked unflustered. The anger they had early was muted under apprehension. 

"Class is cancelled tomorrow," Slughorn announced. Mulciber smirked at Severus meanly. "Go to sleep, curfew starts now. We shall have an assembly tomorrow morning to discuss your reprehensible behaviour."

Murmurs rose up as some of the students got up to go to their rooms while the rest remained. Avery and Mulciber made a beeline towards Severus.

"Noticed you weren't there?" Mulciber asked. He was glaring.

"McGonagall pulled me out before Flitwick put you to sleep," Severus said. For the first time that day he wondered what the spell was and how to get his hands on it.

"Why? How they did they allow you to leave? They kept us for hours," Avery said.

"I hadn't done anything yet and I was at the back. Sprout took my wand and confirmed it and then Slughorn vouched for me," Severus explained. "I lied and said that we thought there was an attack."

"So? It's not like he," Mulciber jabbed at thumb in Slughorn's direction, "would care. He thinks highly of Dumbledore."

"That's what I told him." Mulciber still looked angry. "What? You think being considered an ally of the Dark Lord' enemy is something Slughorn wants right now? Did he vouch for you too?"

"Yes," Avery grumbled. "Said the school was tense after Spencer's mudblood died. That it would be unfair to punish us and not those Gryffindor fuckers."

Severus nodded satisfied. "I told Parkinson and the others to owl their parents just in case."

Mulciber stopped looking so visibly angry. "At least you did something." Then he grinned. "You missed their faces. They were so scared." He put in a high pitched voice and pretended to swoon.

Avery snickered. "McGonagall was raving mad."

"And the mudbloods? All that bravado? Gone. Won't be strutting around anymore, will they?" Mulciber nudged Avery in the ribs. "We should have done this a long time ago."

"What about the Slytherins in the Hospital Wing?" Severus asked. He still remembered the chaos inside that room.

"What about them?" Mulciber asked in return.

"Let Slughorn worry about them," Avery said.

Severus followed them to the sixth year dormitories feeling disquieted for reasons he would not examine. There was a balance here that he could not upset. Sleep was fitful that night. He woke up multiple times to sound of screams echoing around him. When morning came, he was grateful. He bathed in hot water, scrubbed his scalp as if it would remove the nightmares and wore robes that he found folded neatly on his bed. 

"Please assemble at the Common Room," Slughorn's voice rang throughout the House.

Severus was the first person there. He took one of the sofas. The room slowly filled in. Severus thought he saw the Slytherin he helped the day before. 

"I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am in you. If you had concerns, you should have brought them to me instead of taking up vigilantism!" Slughorn scanned the room. "The Professors and I will be having a meeting to discuss how best to handle this. The punishments will be decided then. Remain inside here. Food will brought at the appropriate times."

A whole day cooped up inside was awful. They only had a few months to the mock NEWTs. 

"Will they be taking points?" A prefect asked.

"Yes, Madeline, I'm afraid so," Slughorn answered.

"That's not fair!" Someone shouted. Severus agreed with them.

"Then you should have found some other way," Slughorn told them.

"Potter and his gang didn't get caught," Parkinson was heard telling his friends. "That's why they are making an example out of us instead."

"But Potter and those bastards won't care!" A seventh year cried. "They can't act like those kids put themselves in the hospital!"

"We will be talking to them, Miss Benoit," Slughorn said. When many students scoffed, he added, "Do not attempt to repeat last evening’s display. You are Slytherins! Where is the cunning in that?"

Even the first years were furious at this. Severus on the other hand thought that Slughorn had said something worth listening to. Potter had shown more cunning than they did and now he might escape punishment altogether. Severus went to find Mulciber and Avery to discuss this with them. They were alone in the furthest corner of the room looking out into the lake.

"Are you planning something?" Severus asked haltingly. 

"Why? So you could save your own hide?" Mulciber asked.

"No, I was just thinking that Potter was smarter than us," Severus said. Avery turned to look at him in surprise. "He was probably invisible the whole time so no one could identify him."

"So we do the same?" Avery asked. At least he was thinking about it, Mulciber just rolled his eyes.

"What is the point of that?" Mulciber asked.

Severus was confused. "The point is not to get caught."

"There's a war out there we should be fighting in," Mulciber said wistfully. "My Father wanted me to finish school properly but what's the point? Playing games with blood traitors...."

"I thought you enjoyed it?" Severus asked.

"I can enjoy it and still think it's pointless," Mulciber replied.

"So you don't want to go with my plan?"

"It's Potter's plan and why not? Can't have him thinking he rules the school."

Avery grinned. "When are we doing it?"

"Not today," Mulciber answered. "I heard the half-breed say they are going to patrol the castle."

"The half- oh Hagrid." 

Severus supposed Mulciber was right, they’ll be caught if they did this while the castle was on high alert. He went back to his room to study but he was distracted the whole time. Finally, Slughorn returned. Severus nearly tripped over his legs leaving the room. Slughorn had everyone who participated in the fight stand in front of everyone.

"The Headmaster agreed to take fifteen points from each one of you," Slughorn stated. Severus began counting everyone to see how many points that was. "One month's detention." Everyone was starting to relax, that was not too bad. "Two week's suspension."

Severus' eyes nearly bulged. "Suspension?" He would be the sole Slytherin for the next two weeks. He might not be able to make it. His outburst brought attention to him.

"Not for you, Snape," Slughorn said, "yours is only a week."

Severus' heart stopped beating. He can't go home on a suspension. His father would be furious. No explanation would be good enough.

"Are the Gryffindors getting suspended?"

Slughorn took a step back. "We questioned those who were in the Hospital Wing yesterday and no one could identify the attackers-"

The rest of his words got lost in the roar of hundreds of angry people. Severus was too stunned to join in. He'll lose a week of classes too. Slughorn was trying to settle the House down but no one could hear his voice. He brought his wand to his throat.

"Silence!" His voice was amplified. "Silence, I said! Silence!" Mulciber turned around and gestured for everyone to quieten. "Thank you. Five points to Slytherin. Now, suspension seems awful but I talked it down from expulsion. Listen! Listen- this is not the- be quiet while I speak. Why are you all so determined to sabotage the House?" That got the House to settle down. "Do you think you're only ones to go through this? Many generations of Slytherins walked into this very room and did their best despite the circumstances. This is the lowest we've been in terms of points, the Quidditch team is down many of its players and the entire upper class is suspended. This is beyond shameful! Headmaster Phineas Black has fled his portrait." Severus, like many others, glanced at Regulus Black who turned pink. "You will be in your best behaviour until the term ends. Is that clear?” People nodded their heads. “I said is that clear?”

“Yes,” everyone said unenthusiastically.

Severus doubted they would keep their word. Slughorn dismissed them all except the suspended students.

"You have an hour to pack. Then you'll go to the train. Your luggage will be brought there."

Severus ran to his room. There was so much that needed warding, in case Potter broke in or some of the Pureblood students took their anger at the state of the House out on him since he was half Muggle. His cabinets were the first, those potions took a lot of time and some money, then his desk and finally his bathroom. He put every book and paper inside his trunk first before adding his clothes. Severus was ready in twenty minutes. His hands were shaking by this point forcing him to undo some of the wards to retrieve vials of Calming Draughts and Draught of Peace. He put them inside his bag after drinking one of the Calming Draught vials, cushioned the inside so they don't break.

Mulciber and a dozen others were already ready. Severus went to where Mulciber was talking to dozens of lower class students.

"What are you talking about?"

" _Your_ plan," Mulciber replied. "I said, give them hell while we're gone."

"Don't say it's mine," Severus snapped. “I’ll get punished if Slughorn finds out.”

"Relax," Mulciber said, "Slughorn has a soft spot for mudbloods."

Like you, Severus added in his head. Then he ran back to his room because he forgot the invitation to the Slug party. When he returned after re-warding the cabinet, everyone was prepared. Slughorn walked them out. Immediately, Severus thought he heard a buzzing sound. The closer they go to the entrance hall the louder it got. Mulciber turned to them and said, 

"Blank faces, everyone. Give nothing away."

Severus understood when he saw the whole school waiting on the other side. The moment they saw them, they started cheering, jeering and singing. Torn Slytherin scarfs were thrown near them as they passed by. Potter flashed Severus a triumphant grin and Severus burned with anger. Lily was standing next to Black chanting some incomprehensible song at them.

Finally, the Slytherins walked out of the entrance hall. The closer they got to leaving the school grounds, the tighter Severus' chest was. McGonagall and Dumbledore were waiting at the school gate. They gave each Slytherin a letter for their parents about the suspension. Severus felt sick when he took his. He stowed it in his bag, determined to never let either of his parents read it. Then they were boarding the train. Slughorn took them to the very back where their luggage was.

"Take care," he told them awkwardly and he left them. Severus took the seat on the window in the compartment with his trunk. Avery sat opposite him with some of the other boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew a lot of things happened in this chapter alone.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took me a while to finish this chapter. hope you enjoy.

"Kittle," Avery called a few minutes later, "did you bring the radio?"

"I did," came a shout. A minute later, extremely loud music blasted through the train before the volume was quickly lowered. Avery bopped his head along immediately. Someone began snapping their fingers. Severus could not be bothered to check who. He was just suspended from school. Even at his worst in the Muggle schools he went to, he was never suspended. He did not want to dance to Stubby Boardman.

"Cheer up, mate," Avery said. "It's not that bad."

Avery's father liked him and was always sending him sweets so of course he would say that. Severus pasted a smile on and faked a laugh when Kittle danced past the compartment.

"There we go," Avery said.

All Severus had to for the next two hours of unbearable music was smile, pretend to know the lyrics and gently make fun of Avery's dancing. He watched the countryside the rest of the time, feeling the dread slowly surround him until he could feel nothing else. 

"Why are you not sca- bothered by this?" Severus asked in a quiet voice when Avery sat beside him after intensely dancing to what Avery insisted was the best song ever made.

"Do you remember what Mulciber said?"

"But school _is_ important and-"

Avery rolled his eyes and threw an over Severus' shoulder. "Don't be a pansy, Snape. It's just a suspension. It'll be fine."

Severus could not help but say, "Not for me it wouldn't." It must have been obvious what he meant by the way Avery awkwardly rubbed circles on his shoulder. Severus cringed.

"Your mother?" Avery asked. Severus did not reply causing Avery to shake him. "Is it your mother? She knows Dumbledore and what he is like, doesn't she?"

"My father." 

Avery withdrew his arm like he just remembered who he was touching. "The Muggle.... You're of age now, curse him few times and he'll leave you alone. It's none of his business anyway."

Severus did not bother mentioning that it was illegal casting magic on Muggles, something he found out years ago. "Yeah."

"Your mother should have known better. Only squibs marry Muggles."

Avery had a squib cousin, Severus remembered, he died a few years ago in a fire. "She knows better now," Severus said in a rush. "Told me not to taint the blood further."

"But you and the mudblood were friends?" Avery asked.

"She was the only other witch besides my mother," Severus said. "Muggles are awful if you're not one."

Avery nodded. "Of course they are," he said. Severus thought that was the end of it but a few minutes later, Avery said, "I'll help you get rid of him one day." He sounded so magnanimous, it was easy to imagine Lucius Malfoy saying it. Lucius Malfoy never spoke of deaths before bodies were discovered though, so Severus grinned in gratitude and wished he had the license to apparate. Avery patted Severus on the shoulder and he went away swaying as he walked. 

Alone, Severus could think of what was waiting him for him at home. He hoped his father found jobs far from the house after he was sacked from the last one. The less time around him, the better. He mentally calculated the time it would take to get to London then to Cokeworth; he would probably reach there a little after work was over. With a sudden jolt, Severus realised he had no way of getting to Cokeworth. Usually, Severus would have exchanged some of the money he made to Muggle money weeks before the summer holidays. There was no way around it, he had to go to Diagon Alley first for the Muggle money. It was not very far, less than five kilometres from Kings Cross.

None of the others were worried about this. Severus heard some of them complaining about their parents' reactions. He realised why when they finally pulled into the station. Their parents were already waiting for them. Slughorn must have Floo'd them. Too bad Severus' house had no fireplace, though he doubted anyone would come for him if they knew. He shrunk his luggage, said his goodbyes to a surprisingly bashful Avery who was standing in front of his father and left for Charing Cross Road. 

It took nearly fifty minutes to get there. Severus was parched by then since the train did not have any refreshments and he pushed himself hard to make it under an hour. He was bruised and aching too. The roads had been slick with ice causing him to fall twice. The inside of the Leaky Cauldron was packed with every table occupied. Severus drank a bottle of butterbeer standing up and although he usually hated the drink, it was too sweet, he finished it in gulps. He avoided eye contact with everyone as he went into Diagon Alley. The goblins in Gringotts worked quickly thankfully though Severus was dismayed to find that the buying price of Muggle money had gone up. Severus determined to be very careful with the money in the coming days. That butterbeer would be his last expense for the week. 

Severus' legs were very sore by the time he found a train that stopped a few kilometres outside of Cokeworth. The ticket cost more money than he anticipated. He could feel an unhappy bubble rising through his torso as he handed the money over. Eventually he found a seat by a window and sat quietly, ignoring everyone. The train ride took about three long hours. Halfway through Severus had the urge to pee and it kept building until it was painful no matter how he sat. As soon he got off the train, Severus searched for a bathroom and when he found none, he looked for the darkest section of the road to his town and peed. 

Severus took his wand out from his bag before he started trekking to Spinner's End. There were some stars out, not as many as you would see in the Astronomy Tower but he enjoyed looking them blinking above him. The side of Cokeworth closest to the train station was the one with street lights, well-kept gardens, guard dogs and two storey houses bigger than his. Severus walked briskly despite the pain it brought to his legs. He did not want to get chased by dogs at this time of night. As he was crossing the river carefully to avoid falling in, he began to feel the soft, chilling rain that quickly escalated to a storm. Severus spelled himself dry and warm, trudged to the right street.

The door to his home was unlocked which was odd. He opened it quietly and heard boots being thrown off, someone grunting and heavy piece of clothing falling. Great, he came back at the same as his father. Severus closed it and took deep breaths. He waited in the rain until his hands were numb before truly opening the door. Tobias was nowhere to be seen though his things were lying on the ground.

Severus tiptoed up the stairs to his room where he enlarged his trunk and hid his bag inside a hole at the foot of the wall. The room smelled musty like it hadn't been opened in weeks but it was clean with many of the trinkets he collected over the years arranged neatly opposite his bed. His old desk was missing the large rock under one of the feet that kept it balanced. If he could he would stay hidden here until the week was over but Severus knew his mother would find him eventually. He put his wand in his socks.

Severus went down the stairs quietly. He found his mother setting the table in the kitchen still in her work clothes, her hair was grey and she was twitching as she worked. When he stepped in, she looked up and froze.

"What are you doing here?" 

Not wanting to be loud, Severus took a seat, close to the back door and the door he just came through. "I was suspended. From school with the-"

His mother had moved from the other side of the small table, balled her fist and hit him on his face. Somehow Severus didn't see it coming. She held her hand, wincing in pain and looked at the back door.

"Oh no! Oh no, oh no. Don't tell him," she said. "Don't tell him that. What were you thinking?"

Severus forced himself not to touch his stinging face. "I-"

"Don't say anything," his mother said frantically. The back door opened and she stopped breathing. Tobias was zipping up his trouser with one hand when he too froze when he saw Severus.

"Why are you here, boy?"

Severus' hands were even colder than before. "The school sent me," he said.

"The school sent you," Tobias echoed in a quiet voice. 

"I'm doing an assignment for- for Muggle Studies," Severus lied. "Everyone in the NEWT class has to spend a week in the Muggle world."

Tobias' eyebrows rose. "Is that so? Am I paying for this?"

"P-paying?" Severus asked though he knew he should not. He glanced at his mother who was breathing faster. "It's a term project."

"Muggle Studies? You mean normal people. They send those freaks to see how we live."

"Yes. To- to, um, help with the Ministry. To make sure wizards can blend in with Muggles."

Tobias smiled warmly and he finally moved to the table. Most of the tension left Severus' body, though his mother still looked faint. She began piling food on Tobias' plate, then her plate. There was not much left for Severus but he was hungry.

"What are you doing?" Tobias asked as his wife removed a plate for Severus. 

Eileen looked between the two of them. "I thought he hadn't eaten."

"Doesn't matter if he has or not." Severus' heart started thudding. Tobias pointed at him as he continued talking, "I paid money to that school, a lot of it. I'm not paying for him stay here unless they give me back some of that money."

Severus, who knew he should shut up, said, "It's an assignment. Everyone is doing it."

"I heard you the first time," Tobias said, "I'm not spending a shilling on you. That school should be giving you food and a place to stay right now, everything that comes with the tuition. If it isn’t, that’s not my problem."

"I-"

Tobias hit the table and his mother jumped. "I ain't asking. Leave."

Severus stood up, angling his body away in case he would be hit and he walked away without turning his back.

"You can stay in that room but you can't use my water. That's for your mam and me. In the morning, I'm taking you to John, you'll learn to work with your hands."

"Alright," Severus said unhappily.

"What do you say, boy?"

Severus glanced at his mother. "Thank you."

Halfway back to his room, Severus could hear a sound thrumming towards him. It wasn't loud, he didn't hear it in the kitchen but it was frightening all the same. He jogged up the stairs. The closer he got to his room, the louder the sound got. Wand out, Severus entered the room and immediately closed the room. The sound was coming from the spot in the wall where he kept his bag. Severus quickly removed it, opened the bag and pulled out the glowing envelope McGonagall had given him, that looked very similar to the one he received six years ago. He had forgotten about it completely. The sound turned out to be Albus Dumbledore's voice.

"Severus Snape," it said as Severus cast silencing charms on all walls of his room in a frenzy. "Sixth year Slytherin. Attacked students in the Great Hall. Suspension from the twentieth to the twenty-seventh of this month."

"Silencio," Severus hissed but the letter just repeated everything it had said louder than before. "Incendio." It burst into flames until only ashes were left. Severus collapsed on his bed, shaking. 

He was lucky, so lucky that he was weak with gratitude, though that could be the fact that he hadn't eaten the whole day. Jerking with panic, Severus thought he had just done magic illegally until remembered he was now seventeen years old. He conjured a glass and poured water into it and drank until he felt full. After that he laid on the bed wishing he bought something to eat before entering the train. Sleep never came, between getting up to pee in a bucket, because he knew better than to be seen by Tobias, and drinking to quell hunger pangs, Severus could not get comfortable.

In the early morning, Tobias pounded on the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so those are severus' parents. i hope they were not generic. it took me a while to figure out how i wanted to present them. 
> 
> tell me what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

Tobias walked at a brisk pace down a winding street outside of Cokeworth until they got to an older town called Cheadle. Even from a distance Severus could see construction happening on a quarter of the town that looked similar to Spinner's End. Old houses were being knocked down and, from the three bright ones Severus walked past, being replaced. Everyone greeted Tobias the moment they saw him. Only a few had anything to say to Severus. The air was thick with dust and already the weak morning sun was giving Severus a headache. He said nothing to Tobias who seemed to have forgotten he was there.

John was very thick man who immediately dropped the pickaxe he was holding when Tobias came into a compound that looked bigger than their house.

"Toby, is this the boy?"

Tobias look back without an expression. "It is. Severus, this is John."

"Very thin, isn't he? Can't carry anything, can he?"

Severus did not know if he was supposed to answer that. Tobias said, "Give him something the men don't want to do."

"Alright then, Toby. Severus. Who named the boy? Never heard of a Severus."

"His mam," Tobias answered.

John nodded as if Tobias had said more than he did. "Kip! I've got you a pair of hands."

Kip, who looked to be a few years older than Severus, came out of the neighbouring house. He looked around until he saw Severus and he frowned.

"Those hands look like they'd break," he called out. Severus' stomach was rumbling and the headache was spreading from the top of his head. He hoped they would send him away.

"Give him the dirty work," Tobias said loudly. In a quieter voice, he added, "He could use some reminding of where he came from."

Severus gripped his wand inside his enchanted pocket for reassurance as he walked to where Kip was. His first job was making watery tea for everyone. If he knew the spell, Severus would increase the quantity of the tea leaves and sugar because no one was happy to see him or the plastic cups he carried on a metal tray. He washed the floor in one of the rooms while the white paint on the walls dried. That was when the dizziness started. It came in waves with nausea that brought watered down bile to his throat which why Severus charmed a bubble over his head and spelled the brush and washing cloth to do the rest of the work. 

By midmorning, Severus was taking out the trash in all the other houses, making more tea and bread with margarine spread in the middle, all while his head was pounding. He ate his share and some of the bread he pretended fell into foul smelling, grey rainwater. 

In the afternoon, he was pushing wheelbarrows of broken bricks and dust, which clung to the inside of his mouth no matter how many times he spat, to the outskirts of the town to dump them. Tobias came out to watch him while he drank from a bottle of beer. Severus pretended not to see him, though his hands grew sweaty and he started to struggle with the weight of the wheelbarrows even with a subtle feather-light charm.

Severus' feet were aching sharply as he walked back to the house a few metres behind Tobias. The cold air was doing nothing for the headache, only making him shiver under his jacket. His mother was already in the house, sweeping the floor though it did not look dirty to Severus.

"You're here early," Tobias said surprised as he shed his jacket and worn out gloves.

"Yes, you too. You're early," his mother replied sweeping a corner in a crouch. “Why?”

"They didn't have something for you to do?" Tobias asked.

"I finished everything quickly so I was sent home," his mother explain standing up with a cupped hand of what Severus assumed was dirt. He carefully walked around Tobias to get to the stairs.

"You should have stayed," Tobias said annoyed. "The extra hours are important, Leen. With the bills getting worse...."

"I-I asked to stay. I swear I did but Mary wouldn't hear it."

"Damn her. Drunken wench."

Severus locked the door to his room, removed his clothes, conjured a bucket with water, warmed the water and took a bath with a thick inch of soap he found in trunk. It helped a little with the aches he accumulated that day. 

The next day went by in the same way with Severus cleaning rooms, making food (and stealing some for himself), doing whatever they wanted him to do. Tobias was even closer by this time, watching with a neutral face as Severus sweated and cursed as some snow fell, making the streets slick with mud. The only time Severus talked to someone was to ask for painkillers; he got a sweet instead. He did hear a lot from the men talking and arguing with each other. Apparently this was the only town in the area selected for slum upgrades because some Baron's wife held a fondness for it, having been born on the wealthier side. The new prices for the houses were too high, cutting down any dream Severus had to move here, for now anyway. One day he'll be an important, respected wealthy man and he'd live in any house of any size. He would not live and work like his father, choking on filch, doing mindless menial jobs until the sky darkened. Severus would make sure of it.

On the third day, John called for him to join the others for lunch, which was some rice with a little bit of the margarine mixed in for flavour.

"Severus, Toby says you go to some fancy school up north," John said.

"He looks it," Kip said. Someone snickered but many of them were just smiling.

"What does that mean?" Severus asked ignoring the warning look Tobias shot at him.

"Your hands," Kip said, "they look like a girl's."

Someone from behind Severus grabbed his right hand and lifted it. Severus snatched it back but it was too late, they were already laughing at him.

"What do you learn at that fancy school of yours, Severus?" John asked. Severus was starting to think he found the name very funny.

"Chemistry, Math, Writing-"

"Do you have sports in that school of yours?"

"Yes," Severus answered confused.

"And what position do you play? Batsman? Or are you more of a rugby fellow?"

Severus, feeling like he was walking into a trap, replied, "I don't play sports."

"Well that's surprising," Kip said loudly in a mockingly posh voice, and they all started laughing again. Tobias was pale and stone faced. Why he was angry, Severus did not know. They were jeering at Severus who felt like he never left Hogwarts. He didn't know why people liked humiliating him, he left them alone and minded his business. Severus took a bite out of the rice so he could look down. He would die if anyone saw that his eyes were wet.

"Are you good in math, boy?" John asked.

Severus had to be or he'd fail Arithmancy. "I am."

"Look over the books for me, none of the fellows can count very well." John said.

"I can- yes, I'll do it." Anything as long as he never worked with cement again.

The books turned out to be pages bent together at a corner so they would hold. Numbers were written in a shaky handwriting all over the pages. Those in pencil were already fading and those in Biro had blots of ink that could be seen on the other side. John had a brand new thirty-two page notebook that he wanted Severus to fill in. The numbers turned out to be wages and expenses made by his company on behalf of the Baron.

"Fudge the numbers, don't be shy," John instructed.

"By how much?" Severus asked, trying to think of a way to do it.

"A thousand pounds."

Swallowing at the sound of that, Severus asked, "And my cut?"

John peered at him with an ugly expression before breaking into a grin. "You really are Toby's son," he gritted. "Fifty for this and all the work you've been doing. Just don't tell your father."

Fifty pounds out of a thousand was ridiculous. He would take seventy, only because John would care if took more and he was too large to fight alone. Severus would wait to finish before demanding more. If John argued against the extra twenty, Severus would confound him. 

"Put dates on that. Ask Kip about them, he'll tell you. Make it authentic, boy."

Severus worked until it was too dark, writing out of sight and erasing the work he did with magic after following an irate Kip around for an hour asking questions. 

"What school did you go to?" Severus snarled unable to take the snide comments for much longer. He ducked with a yelp as a wooden chair was thrown at him.

This was the second time Severus had to duck as a heavy object was thrown at him. It was only after the threat of Tobias, brought up by someone else, did Kip finally decide inanimate objects were better recipients of his anger. In the end, his right hand was swollen but at least Severus had gotten most of information out of him. Severus could not write any of it down as the notebook was meant for a doctored account of the past month. Luckily John didn't mind that. He sidestepped Tobias' questions by making more jabs about how thin and feminine Severus was. 

Severus and Tobias left in a group but they kept falling back. He wanted nothing to do with them after they asked if he wore skirts in Hogwarts. Tobias was likely tired. At least that was what Severus thought until a fist collided on his chest. Severus fell to the ground with a cry.

"Couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?" Tobias was quaking with so much anger that Severus could see even in the dark. "Answer me!" It was hard to breathing let along talk. Severus could only scramble away. "Let me see you opening your mouth- let me see you around them again. Fucking embarrassment." He left, swearing the whole time.

Severus waited ten minutes, mostly nursing his chest, before walking to the house only to find the door locked. He sat down, cast warming charms and waited. A few hours later, the door was opened. His mother had a reddened cheek and her hair was sticking out in every direction. Severus opened his mouth to say his thanks but she interrupted him.

"Shut up," she hissed. Then she covered her mouth and gestured for him to enter. He did, quickly and silently, not stopping until he was inside his room. Under his wand light, his chest was bruising but the pain was not too great thankfully. Sleep took a long time to come as Severus tried to ignore the memories from that day but his head rang with the sound of laughter and phantom pain on his chest. His muscles were seizing up throughout the night, unused to hard labor. 

The next day, he went to Cheadle with a parchment paper that had all the information he committed to memory. Knowing that he would incur Tobias' wrath, Severus kept his visit to John short.

"Sounds about right," John said looking over the notes. "You'll have to ask Kip or Tim. Memorized all of this, did you? Maybe Toby was right to waste so much money sending you to that school."

Severus walked around looking for Tim which unfortunately meant asking. He could feel Tobias' eyes burning into his back the whole time but seventy pounds was at stake. Tim was a short, dark man who briskly corrected the mistakes on the paper before returning to demolishing walls.

The day was spent hidden way in one of the new houses, shifting numbers and inventing new expenses. Severus only stopped when he was called to do the cooking, which was nerve wracking because he imagined the things they were saying about him. He was done with accounting, after going over it so many times the math stopped making sense. 

"So... my cut?" Severus asked with his hands in his pocket.

John got that same unsettling look on his face. Severus braced himself, ready to pull out his wand when the man reached into his ratty wallet and gave him fifty pounds.

"I actually added 123 pounds to make it... normal looking. I thought too many zeroes would be suspicious."

"Now, listen here you brat," John snarled. Severus removed his wand and pointed it at his protruding gut.

"Confundus." John's eyes became clouded. "You'll give me twenty-three pounds because I helped you a lot. You're annoyed that you have to give me the money but I'm keeping my mouth shut."

John spoke as he removed more money. "I'm giving you twenty-three pounds. Thank you for your help and keeping your mouth shut."

"You’re welcome, sir," Severus said taking it. "I can leave early because I did a good job."

"You can leave early because you did a good job," John parroted in a wheezy absentminded voice.

Severus nearly skipped out of Cheadle. He skipped pebbles on the road as he walked, wondering what to buy first. For the first time in days, Severus crossed the river to get to the wall of kiosks at the town's market. He bought biscuits, short cakes, and a bottle of soda. While he was looking at pens that were being displayed, he realised abruptly that he had done very little studying. Those in his year back in Hogwarts have no doubt done so much work by now. He had to go back to his house immediately and start studying.

"Snape!"

Severus turned around slowly, recognizing that nasally voice. "Evans."

Petunia was glaring at him. "What are you doing here?" She asked as if he had no right standing in front of her. "Where's Lily?" She asked with some concern.

"I don't know," he answered slowly moving away while his things were being bagged.

"Don't you dare walk away! Tell me where is Lily!"

"At school," he said, paying hurriedly, belatedly sensing a loud confrontation. Petunia loved those, especially in front of other people. It was hard to win against her when you're not allowed to talk about the wizarding world.

"Then why are you here?" She asked sounding genuinely puzzled.

"None of your business," he snapped.

Petunia matched towards him in righteous indignation. "My sister is my business."

"She's not here." Severus dropped some of coins he was given before bending to pick them. Petunia Evans or not, he was not leaving a cent behind. "Go away." He was nearly jogging struggling to get away.

"Do you think I'm daft? You're always together!"

"We're not friends!" Severus roared. "Leave me alone." He glanced back just to make sure she stopped following him. Petunia had a stunned look on her face like she could not believe what she just heard. 

Severus walked quickly, sliding on mud and snow slicked stones, trying to put as much distance between him and Petunia. He felt safe after crossing river knowing she would never do the same thing. The plastic bag containing the food jostled on his side and for a hungry Severus, it was an amazing sound. The night he came the house after the suspension was quite dark; now Severus could see more and more houses in the neighbourhood were looking abandoned. He wondered why, it's not like they had the money to move away last he checked.

The door to their house opened and a stranger walked out. He was buttoning his shirt up, lingering on the front steps. Severus' mother stood at the door talking to him. The man took her hand and held it in a grip that looked gentle to Severus. Then the oddest thing happened, his mother smiled brightly. Eileen Snape never smiled like that, she would cover her mouth when she laughed and her smiles were close mouthed at best. The man did nothing more than that before he left going the opposite direction of where Severus was standing. Severus stood rooted at the spot for quite some time trying to understand what just happened. When he reached the house he knocked before entering.

Eileen was fretting over the couch that was as clean as it was going to get. "Severus! What are- is your father with you?"

Severus shook his head. "I finished my work. He’s still there."

"Oh, that's good. Makes your father happy," she said stuttering, wiping her hands on her long skirt. "What's in the bag?"

Severus removed one of the shortcakes wrapped in old newspaper. "Here. I bought this for you," he lied hoping she would stop fidgeting. "I'm going to my room."

He hid the bag and most of the money in his trunk before going back downstairs. His mother looked away from the open knife drawer when she heard him coming.

"You want something to eat?"

"Not a lot," Severus said. He sat down while she heated whatever she made earlier. It turned out to be boiled cabbages and old bread. He wolfed it all down. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said having calmed down as he ate. 

Severus stopped up, caught a glimpse of her hand and remembered something Malfoy told him. "Mum," he said, "did you have a soulmate? I don't."

"That's a stupid question, Severus," she said raising her hand, "do you see a name here? It's good that you don't. You have nothing to distract you from your studies."

"Malfoy said there's a way to get rid of it," Severus said. His mother grew still.

"You have been talking to Abraxas Malfoy's son? Have you lost your mind?"

"I was just asking-"

"They can't be trust! Malfoys don't care for anyone outside of their family. They will use you and toss you aside at best." In that moment, she sounded just like Tobias, speaking with complete certainty.

"I can't avoid him, mum. He knows how good I am at Potions."

His mother sighed rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Don't tell him and any of those boys anything. I may be done with that world but I know what's happening. A half Muggle like you ought to be careful, Severus. Those boys will never be your friends."

Severus swallowed around the lump in his throat. "I don't want to be their friend," he lied again. 

His mother gave him a long look before nodding. "Try not to get killed, Severus. I don't want to bury you."

Before Severus left, he removed a twenty pound note and put it on the table close to her. 

"Where did you get that?"

"I do essays for people and they pay me."

"Keep it."

"I have plenty."

He left without hearing a reply to that. Later that night, Severus heard a loud bang from his parent’s room. He opened the door to his bedroom with his wand ready.

"Stop that! You'll wake Severus!"

Tobias grunted. "Lazy prink won't hear a damn thing. Leen," he said in a heavy drawl.

"No, I'm tired Tobias."

"That's all you've been saying all month!" Tobias exploded. His mother gasped loudly when he did.

"Tomorrow, Tobias, please."

"Tomorrow then," Tobias relented. Severus started breathing again. "I won't hear any excuses, Leen. I'm a man and you're my woman."

"You're right, Tobias. You're right. Go to sleep."

After that, every sound in the house made Severus jump wondering if it was his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really struggling against writer's block. I had to force myself to post this chapter because I have two other WIPs that need updating. Anyway tell me what you think of Cokeworth chapters.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think.


End file.
